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11. 

ABSTRACT 


PROCEEDINGS 


NATIO^'AL 


LORD'S  DAY  CONYENTION, 


HELD    IN   THE 


CITY  OF  BALTIMORE. 


27th  and  28th  November,  1844. 


PRINTED     AT     THE     PUBLICATION     ROOMS 

OF     THE     EVANGELICAL     LUTHERAN     CHURCH, 
NO.       7,    SOUTH       LIBERTY       STREET. 

1845. 


NOTE. 

The  "  Committee  of  Finance  and  Publication"  have  found  the  report  of  the  doings 
of  the  National  Lord's  day  Convention  so  extensive,  that  they  are  reduced  to  the 
necessity  of  omitting  very  much  which  they  would  gladly  have  published,  had  the 
means  left  in  their  h?,nds  justified  it.  This  explanation,  they  hope,  will  bo  satisfactory 
to  every  gentleman  who  may  not  find  his  remarks  published  so  fully  as  he  made  them. 
The  rule  which  has  been  adopted  for  their  government,  in  tliis  matter  is,  to  publish 
only  such  things  as  promise  to  be  of  permanent  utility. 

Baltimore,  Janxiarxj  \st,  1845. 


ABSTRACT 
OF   THE   PROCEEDINGS 

OF    THE 

NATIONAL  LORD'S  DAY   CONVENTION 


The  Convention  of  the  friends  of  the  Lord's  day,  assembled  to 
devise  means  for  the  promotion  of  tlie  sanctification  of  that  day, 
met  in  the  First  Baptist  church  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  on 
Wednesday  the  27th  day  of  November,  A.  D.,  1844,— at  10 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  was  called  to  order  by  the  Rev.  Beverly 
Waiigh,  Bishop  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  cliurch;  who  made  a 
few  preliminary  remarks,  adverting  to  the  importance  of  the  object 
which  had  convened  the  assembly,  and  to  its  sacred  character,  as 
demanding  of  all  who  engaged  in  it  their  purest  feelings,  their 
wisest  thoughts,  and  their  most  deliberate  action.  He  then  pro- 
posed that  the  Hon.  Judge  Willard  Hall,  of  Delaware,  be  invited 
to  the  chair,  to  organize  the  meeting. 

This  proposition  being  unanimously  agreed  to,  the  Hon.  Judge 
Hall  took  the  chair  accordingly. 

He  proceeded  to  observe,  on  so  doing,  that  the  solemnity  of  the 
occasion  on  which  the  meeting  had  assembled,  was  such  as  should 
induce  those  who  composed  it,  deeply  to  feel  and  humbly  to 
acknowledge  their  own  inability  to  accomplish,  without  the  divine 
assistance  and  blessing,  any  thing  acceptable  to  heaven  or  worthy 
of  the  cause;  and  he  therefore  proposed  that,  in  the  outset  of  their 
proceedings,  solemn  prayer  sbould  be  offered  to  Almighty  God, 

The  Throne  of  Grace  was  thereupon  addressed  by  the  Rev. 
James  G.  Hamner,  of  Baltimore. 

Mr.  Hamner  then  nominated  Messrs.  Charles  W.  Ridgely,  of 
Baltimore,  and  Rev.  O.  S.  Powell,  of  Philadelphia,  to  act  as 
Secretaries  of  the  Convention,  pro  tern. 

The  nominations  were  agreed  to,  and  the  above  named  gentle- 
men were  appointed  Secretaries. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  Eliphalet  Nott,  D.  D., 

Ordered,  That  a  Committee  of  Five  be  appointed,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  nominating  suitable  officers  of  the  Convention  and  Rules  of 
Order. 

The  Rev.  Bishop  Waugh,  of  Maryland,  Jacob  Gideon,  Esq., 
of  Washington,  D.  C,  G.  M.  Attwood,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,. 


Rev.  Timothy  Stillmair,  of  New  York,  and  Dr.  T.  E.  Bond,  of 
Baltimore,  were  appointed. 

The  Conmiittee  of  Nomiiialioii  withdrew. 

In  the- meanwhile  Rev.  Mr.  Powell  was  requested  to  offer  to 
the  Convention  some  gcnerar remarks  in  relation  to  the  ohjects  of 
the  meeting. 

Bislio.p  Waugh,  Cliairman  of  the  Nominating  Committee,  re^ 
ported  the  following  gentlemen  as  officers  of  the  Convention,  viz.: 

For  President,  The  Hon.  JoiiN  Quinct  Adams,  of  Massacliusetts. 

For  lj£  Vice  President,  Hon.  Willard  Hall,  of  Delaware, 

2nd    "         ■"         lion.  Theodore  Frelikghuysen,  of  N.  York, 
3rd    "  '"         Rev.  Eliphalet  Nott,  D.  D.,  of  N.  York, 

4lli    "  .*'     :  ".Bishop:  Waugh,  of  Maryland; 

slk   "  "         J.  A.  Browv;  Esq.,  of  Pennsylvania, 

G//t    "  ".       Rev.  H.  V.  P- Johns,  D.  D.,  of'ftTaryland, 

'ctli    "  '"         Rev.  E,  KiKGsreRD,  of  the  District  of  Columbia. 

For  Secretaries.  •  ' 

Hon.  Harmar  Denny,  of  Pittsburg, 
Charles  W.  Rjdgely,  Esq  ,  of  Baltimore, 
Rev.  Charles  A.  Davis,  of  Washington  city,. 
Rev.  Timothy  Stillman,  of  N.  York. 

The  question  being  put,  the  iiominations  were  ratified  by  the 
Convention,  and  the  above  named  gentlemen  appointed  its  officers. 

■  The  Hon.  John  Q.  Adams,  being  conducted  to  liie  chair, 
TOacle  the  foUowiag  address,  in  acknowledgment  of  the  honor  of  liis 
■jappointment : 

"Christian  Buetiiren: 

"  In  returning  to  this  assembly  my  grateful  thanks  for  the  utterly 
unexpected  honor  you  have  done  me,  by  placing  me  in  this  chair, 
I  cannot  forbear  to  add,  that  I  shall  be  obliged  to  throw  myself 
•entirely  on  your  indulgence,  in  my  efforts  to  discharge  its  duties. 
There  are  here,  I  am  very  sure,  great  numbers  of  gentlemen  far 
better  suited  to  occupy  this  place  than  I  am.  Scarcely  three  days 
since  it  was  to  me  wholly  unexpected  that  I  should  have  the  honor 
of  meeting  with  you ;  but  an  invitation  to  attend  was  tendered  to 
rne  in  a  manner  \vhich  did  not  leave  me  at  liberty  to  refuse,  nor  do 
I  now  feel  myself  more  at  liberty  in  relation  to  the  appointment 
you  have  just  made.  But,  unexpected  as  it  is,  I  feel  my  incapacity 
the  more  from  the  circumstance  of  my  having,  comparatively,  but 
very  little  considered  the  subject.  As  a  general  matter,  indeed,  I 
always  felt  myself  under  obligation  to  observe  that  law  which  was 
given  by  God  himself  from  mount  Sinai,  in  those  solemn  words, 
"•  Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy  •," — a  command  which 
was  subsequently  rcne^ved  and  rc-inforced  by  the  injunctions  of  the 
Saviour  of  mankind. 

In  my  intercourse  with  men,  I  have  found  a  diversity  of  opinion 
as  to  the  application  of  the  commandment.     There  arc  plausible 


reasons  for  understanding  it  in  a  limited  sense.  The- cases- in  Scrip- 
ture in  which  the  coniinandment  U-as  modified  by  the  Saviour,  are 
those  in  which  he  was  charged  with  violating  it  in  his  own  person-, 
but,  when  thus  accused  he  replied,  "the  Sabbath  was  uiadc  for 
man,  not  man  for  the  Sabbath."  Of  course,  there  may  bo  some 
foundation  for  the  existing  diversity  of  Oj)inion ;  but  the  impor- 
tance of  the  right  observance  of  the  Sabballi  cannot  be  contro- 
verted. So  far  as  my  experience  has  gone,  it  would  seem  to  me, 
that  this  is  the  point  toward  which  there  will  be  a  propriety  in 
this  Convention's  directing  its  efforts.  So  far  as  propagating  opin- 
ions in  favor  of  the  sacred  observance  of  the  day,  I  feel  it  to  be 
my  duty  to  give  all  the  faculties  of  my  soul  to  that  subject. .  I  will 
not  now  farther  detain  the  Convention:  for,  I  see  before  me,  many 
'who  are  much  more  competent  to  point  out  th^  duty  of  the  people 
of  this  country,  in  relation  to  the  general  subject,  than  I  can  pre- 
tend to  be. 

Bishop  Waugh  then  reported  the  following  Rules  of  Order, 
which  were  adopted : 

1st.  The  Convention  sliall  meet  at  9  o'clock,  a.  m.  and  adjourn  at  1,  p.  m. — 
Meet  at  3  o'clock,  p.  m.  and  adjourn  at  5. — And  meet  again  at  1  o'clock  in  the 
evening. 

2nd.  Eacli  meeting  of  the  Convention  siiall  be  opened  with  prayer  for  the  divine 
guidance  and  blessing. 

3rd.  All  Committees  shall  be  appointed  by  the  chair,  unless  otherwise  ordered  by 
the  Convention. 

4th.  There  shall  be  a  Standing  Committee  of  Seven,  to  prepare  and  report  business 
for  the  Convention. 

6tii.  Business  shall  be  taken  up  in  the  order  in  which  it  sliall  be  presented  by  the 
Committee. 

6th.  All  resolutions  shall  be  in  writing  ;  and  after  being  read  in  the  hearing  of  tiie 
Convention,  shall,  without  debate,  be  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Standing  Commit- 
tee,— and  other  documents,  without  being  read,  shall  go  to  the  same  Committee. 

Tth.  No  person  shall  speak  more  than  ten  minutes  at  any  time,  nor  more  than  once 
on  any  question,  without  leave  of  the  Convention. 

8th.  When  all  business  presented  by  the  Standing  Committee  shall  hnve  been  dis- 
posed of,  any  member  may,  on  his  own  responsibility,  present  any  resolution  that 
may,  in  iiis  view,  be  adapted  to  promote  the  sacred  observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  to 
the  consideration  of  the  Convention. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  appointed  the  Standing  Committee 
of  Business,  viz. : 

The  Rev.  Justin  Edwards,  D.  D.,  chairman;  J. -M.  Attvvood, 
Esq.,  Rev.  A.  D.  Eddy,  D.  D.,  Christian  Keener,  Esq.,  Rev. 
Benjamin  Kurtz,  D.  D.,  Clias.  M.  Kcyser,  Esq.,  and  Rev.  Timothy 
Stillman. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Powell,  it  was 

Ordered^  That  a  Committee  of  Ten  be  appointed,  to  superintend 
the  formation  of  a  full  and  correct  roll  of  all  the  delegates  in  attend- 
ance on  this  Convention. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  appointed  the  Committee  on 
Enrollment: 


Messrs.  Fielder  Israel,  T.  T.  Mason,  David  C.  McCammon,  Jolm 
L.  Linton,  William  B.  Canfield,  Milton  Smith,  Jacob  Gideon, 
John  S.  Mitchell,  Joseph  S.  Carson,  Matthew  Brooks. 

In  consequence  of  Mr.  Frelinghuysen's  inability  to  he  present, 
James  Clarke,  Esq.,  of  Pa.,  President  of  the  Board  of  Cannl  Com- 
missioners for  that  State,  was  appointed  in  his  place  as  one  of  the 
Vice  Presidents. 

Rev.  Mr.  Stillman  liaving  been  appointed  on  tlie  Standing  Com- 
mittee, Mr.  Milton  Smith,  of  Philadelphia,  was  chosen  an  Assistant 
Secretary,  in  his  stead. 

Dr.  Edwards,  Irom  tlie  Standing  Committee  of  Business,  reported 
in  part,  tlie  following  resolutions: 

I.  Resolved^  That  we  gratefully  recognize  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  Jehovah  in  the  appointment  of  the  Sabbath,  in  the 
sanction  which  he  gave  to  it  by  his  own  example,  in  his  command 
to  men  to  remember  it  and  keep  it  holy,  and  in  the  blessings  which 
it  has  been  the  means  of  conferring  upon  tliose  vyho  have  kept  it 
according  to  his  will,  in  all  ages  of  the  world. 

II.  Resolved,  That  we  specially  notice  the  kindness  of  the  Lord, 
in  leading  the  fathers  of  our  country  so  extensively  to  acknowledge 
the  sanctity  of  his  day,  and  to  observe  it  as  a  day  of  rest  from 
secular  business,  travelling  and  amusement,  and  of  special  devotion 
to  the  public  worship  of  God,  and  the  promotion  of  the  spiritual 
good  of  men. 

HI.  Resolved,-  That  the  blessings  which  we  are  enjoying  from  the 
labors  and  sacrifices  of  those  who  have  gone  before  us,^ror  which 
labors  and  sacrifices,  their  regard  for  tlie  Sabbath  was  an  essential 
means  of  preparing  them, — ought  to  lead  us,  in  this  matter,  consci- 
entiously and  perseveringly  to  imitate  all  that  was  good  in  their 
example. 

IV.  Resolved,  That  tlie  influence  of  the  observance  of  the  Lord's 
day,  in  the  establishment  of  our  social,  civil  and  religious  institu- 
tions, was  such  as  must  greatly  endear  it  to  the  hearts  of  all  intelli- 
gent and  consistent  patriots;  and  the  continuance  and  legitimate 
operations  of  these. institutions,  will  depend  in  no  small  decree  upon 
the  manner  in  which  the  people  of  this  country  shall  meet  the  re^ 
sponsibilities,  and  discharge  the  duties  of  that  sacred  day. 

These  resolutions  were  taken  up  in  order,  ami  the  first  being  read, 
Mr.  Richard  Lemmon,  of  Baltimore,  introduced- the  following  : 

Resolved,  That  the  report  of  the  Committee  be  re-committed, 
with  instructions  to  present  to  this  Convention  the  scril)tural 
observances  and  obligations  of  the  Lord's  day  ;  and  that  the  Commit- 
tee be  enlarged  l)y  the  chair. 

This  resolution  gave  rise  to  a  protracted  discussion,  in  which 
Rev.  Mr.  Brainard,  Dr.  Kurtz,  Mr.  Lemmon,  Dr.  Campbell,  Prest. 
Durbin,  A.  B.  Magruder,  Esq.,  Rev.' Mr.  Ilealy,  Hon.  Mr.  Cham- 
bers, Dr.  Longmorc  and  others,  participated. 

Dr.  Durbin  called  for  the  reading  of  tlie  original  proceedings 
and  address,  in  pursuance  of  which  the  Convention  had'assembled. 


The  address  extended  an  earnest  invitation  to  "  the  friends  of 
the  Lord's  day,  of  every  christian  denomination,  throughout  the 
lengtli  and  breadth  of  our  land,  to  hold  preparatory  meetings,  and 
appoint  delegates  to  attend  said  National  Convention,  and  co-ope- 
rate in  devising  such  means  and  proposing  such  measures,  as  in 
their  judgment  will  be  most  likely,  witli  God's  blessing,  to  promote 
the  proper  observance  of  the  Christian  Sabbath  in  all  the  various 
relations  of  life." 

These  documents  being  read,  the  hour  of  1,  p.  ji.  arrived,  and 
the  Convention  adjourned  to  3  o'clock. 

Wednesday  afternoon, — 3  o'clock. 

Convention  met.  President  in  the  chair.  Prayer  was  offered 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Nott. 

The  question  recurring  on  the  adoption  of  the  1st  Resolution 
reported  by  the  Standing  Committee,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hill  of  Win- 
chester, Va.,  offered  his  congratulations  to  the  Convention  on  the 
very  general  response  which  had  been  given  to  the  call  for  its 
assembling,  and  the  large  number  of  avowed' friends  of  the  Sab- 
bath here   present,^  from  so  many  different  States  of  the  Union. 

Dr.  Hill  then  made  a  few  remarks  in  reference  to  the  character 
of  the  proceedings,  whichit  would  be  expected  of. the  Convention 
to  adopt,  and  hoped  that  the  body  would  proceed  to  the  perform- 
ance of  those  important  duties  for  which  it- had  been  convened. 

The  question  was  then  put,  and  the  first  four  Resolutions  were 
adopted  without  remark. 

The  fifth  Resolution  was  then  read  : 

V.  Resolved.,  That  the  increasing  conviction  which  is  manifested 
in  various  parts  of  our  country,  of  th-e  duty  and  utility  of-  remem- 
bering the  Christian  Sabbath  and  keeping  it  holy,  and  the  conse- 
qaent  diminution  of  secular  business,  and  the  increase  of  the  num- 
bei's  who  assemble  to  acknowledge  the  Author  of  their  blessings, 
are  tokens  for  good  to  the  country,  and  ought  to  encourage  all,  to. 
give  to  the  observance  of  this  day,  the  sanction  of  their  habitual 
example. 

Tlie  Rev.  Mr.  Powell  observed,  that  tlie  terms  of  the  Resolution  fiwiled  and  seemed 
•  to  call  for  the  statement  of  interesting  facts  which  might  be  in  possession  of  gentlemen 
present,  the  communication  of  which  would  cond.uce  to  the  general  otject  for  whicb 
this  meeting  had  been  called..  "  .    '   . 

Mr.  P.  went  on  to  say,  that  for  more  than  two  years  past  he  had  passed  frequently 
along  tlie  great  thorough  ft  res  of  travel  in  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  and  hctd  been  a  dare- 
-  ful  observer  of  the  manner  in  .wliich  the  Lord's  day  was  kept.  In  Pliiladelphia,  Pitts- 
burg,Cincinnati  and  many  of  the  large  towns  tiirough  this  region  of  country,  the  mer-. 
■chants  most  extensively  engaged  in  business  and  who  were  of  course  largely  interested 
in  the  transportation  of  their  morcliandize,  had  signed  a  memorial  to  the  Legislatures 
of  their  respective  States,  praying  for  a  law  prohibiting  the  carrying  of  goods  ajongoiir 
canals  and  rail  roads  on  the  Sabbath  day.  Tliere  was  a  growing  conviction  among 
business  men,  geneially,  that  it  was  unprofitable  even  in  a  pecuniary  view,  thus  to 


8 

occupy  the  Sabbaih  day.     On  the  Pittsburg  and. Canal,  indeed,  uine-tentTia  of 

the  canal  boats  had  ceased  to  run  on  that  day.  A  gentleman  lately  travelling  in  that 
quarter  had  asked  the  captain  of  one  of  the  packet  boats  why  it  was  that  any  of  them 
ran  upon  the  Lord's  day;  The  captain  replied,  that  the  proprietors  had  fully  ascertain- 
ed that  they  ran  their  boats  at  a  loss  on  tlio  Sabbath,  and  would  gladly  cease  to  do  so, 
but  Were  under  the  belief  that  public  opinion  forbade  it.  lie  replied  that  in  that  be- 
lief they  were  grcatl}'  mistaken,  that  iie  had  himself  for  many  years,  travelled  more 
on  Sabbaih  than  almost  any  other  man  ;  but  had  always  found  that  before  the  week 
was  out  he  lost  more  than  he  had  gained  by  his  Sunday  tiips.  Many  men  engaged 
in  the  business,  after  carefull}'  prefacing  tlieir  statements  by  disclaiming  all  belief  in 
the  divine  autliorit}'  for  the  observance  of  the  day,  were  prompt  in  testifying  that 
they  had  found  it  unprofitable  to  disregard  it.  The  superintendent  of  a  rail  road 
which  crossed  the  mountains  had  recently  made  an  official  report  of  the  results  of  the 
enterprize,  which  proved,  that  owing  to  tiie  great  diminution  of  travel  upon  the  IjOfd's 
day,  cars  which  ran  on  that  diiy.  did  not  pay  their  expenses:  a  most  important  fact^^ 
going  to  show  a  great  and  salutary  change  in  public  sentiment  and  practice  within  a 
few  years.  Mr.  F.  said,  in  conclusion,  that  he  doubted  not  there  were  many  other 
gentlemen  present  who  were  acquainted  with  facts  of  a  similar  kind:  and  he  thought 
it  due  to  the  present  occasion'and  to  the  cause  which  lay  so  near  the  hearts  of  all  here 
assembled  that  they  should  be  brought  out. 

Dr.  Edwards  went  into  a  number  of  statistical  details  officially  given,  in  relation 
to  the  State  rail  roads  in  Pennsylvania,  which  had  the  same  bearing  witii  those  already 
stated,  and  proved  that  the  running  of  passenger  cars  on  the  Sabbath  day  occasioned 
an  actual  loss  to  the  State  Treasury  of  $3,G13,  being  enough  to  pay  tiie  interest  on 
^72,000  of  the  State  debt.  Dr.  E.  added  tliat  Jie  had  been  informed  by  the  presi- 
dent of  one  of  our  great  rail  roads  that,  in  his  opinion,  the  travel  on  the  Sabbath  day 
had  been  diniinished  more  than  half  within  a  few  years,  notwithstanding  the  total 
amount  of  travelling  had  been  so  largely  increased.  An  aged  merchant  in  one  of  our 
seaports  had  observed  to  him,  that  it  was  now  an  uncommon  thing,  in  comparison  to 
what  had  been  customary  some  years  ago,  to  see  a  vessel  leave  the  wharf  upon  the 
Lord's  day,  that  gentleman  at  the  same  time  observed  that  though  largely  engaged  in 
commerce  he  had  not  allowed  a  vessel  of  his  to  sail  on  Sunday  for  the  last  twenty 
years;  and  a  similar  course  was  becoming  comparatively  conmion.  Merchants,  and 
all  concerned,  found  by  experience  that  "  it  worked  better"  to  confine  their  business 
to  six  days  in  the  week  and  to  rest  on  the  remaining  day.  He  said  farther,  tliat  lie.' 
had  recently  visited  New  York  after  an  absence  of  thirty  years,  and  was  amazed  to 
find  Iiow  large  a  number  of  the  merchants  focmorly  flourisliing  in  that  great  city,  and 
who  were  generally  in  the  habit  of  writing  up  their  books  and  sailing  their  vessels 
en  the  Sabbath,  had  come  to  nothing. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Longmore,  of  Manayunk,  expressed  his  gratification  at  these  state- 
ments, and  iiopod  they  would  be  multiplied.  They  were  cheering  to  the  hearts  of  all 
who  loved  the  Lord's  day.  At  the  late  Convention  held  at  Ilarrisburg,  he  had  present- 
ed sundry  statements  in  reference  to  tlw  violations  of  the  Sabbalii  witiiin  his  own  dis- 
trict. They  had  there  two  rail  roads,  one  en  each  side  of  the  Schuylkill,  beside 
another  which  ran  day  and  night  on  that  holy  day.  The  christians  of  that  region 
considered  their  rights  as  citizens  infringed  by  the  constant  disturbance  they  experi- 
enced, while  engaged  in  the  worship  of  Almighty  God,  by  the  uproar  of  steam  en- 
gines, which  passed  under  the  very  windows  of  the  sanctuary,  puffing  defiance  against 
the  laws  of  God  and  the  most  sacrod  employments  and  feelings  of  man.  He  was  now 
happy  to  announce  that,  on  the  Reading  Uail  Koad,  all  Sabbatli  operations  had  by  a, 
recent  vote  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  been  suspended  :  the  last  Sabbath  being  tho 
last  day  on  which  tiie  profanation  was  permitted  to  continuo.    In  this  vote  the  Board, 


fo  their  honor,  wore  Unanimous.  The  christians  in  Manaynnk  rejoiced  greatly  inr 
this  triumph  of  sound  principle.  The  example,  loo,  was  the  more  important  from  its 
publicity,  the  roads  in  that  region  being  occupied  in  an  immense  coal  business.  He 
felt  a  cheering  hope  tiiat  its  eftV-ct  would  be  so  deeply  felt  that  by  the  approaching- 
spring  he  should  have  the  satisfaction  of  stating,  that  neither  steamboat  nor  rail  car 
travelled  Manayunk  on  the  Lord's  day.  The  operatives  immediately  engnged  were  all 
zealously  in  favor  of  such  a  reforin.  They  felt  that  by  this  iinmiligating  toil,  they 
were  degraded  to  the  condition  of  beasts ;  that  by  this  wicked  and  oppressive  system, 
their  very  blood  was  coined  into  dollars  to  swell  the  treasures  of  rich  men.  Dr.  L. 
had  heard  their  complaints  and  witnessed  their  tears.  Nothing  would  occasion  more 
hearty  rejoicing  among  them  than  such  a  change  as  should  allow  them  and  their 
wives  and  their  childi-en  to  enjoy,  in  common  with  others,  the  precious  blessings  of 
tlie  Sabbath  day.  lie  congratulalcd  the  Convention  on  the  number  present.  They 
were  met  as  christians  not  only  but  as  patriots,  as  friends  and  lovers  of  our  common 
country,  to  consult  upon  measures  for  the  exaltation  of  her  moral  dignity  and  for  the 
spread  and  perpetuation  both  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  He  had  witnessed  the 
healthful  influence  of  his  Sabbath  Convention  ;  and  he  doubted  not  the  influence  of 
this,  which  was  so  much  more  numerous,  and  drawn  from  so  much  wider  an  extent 
of  the  Union,  would  go,  with  healing  on  its  wings,  to  tlie  remotest  bounds  of  our 
glorious  and  happy  Republic.  He  traced  ilie  reform  of  which  he  had  spoken  entirely 
to  the  intluence  of  the  Convention  at  Harrisburg,  and  it  was  a  cheering  pledge,  a; 
happy  omen,  of  what  might  be  hoped  for  from  the  present  assemblage. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Stillrnan,  of  Dunkirk,  New  York,  staled  that  as  his  home  was  on 
the  lakes,  he  had  for  the  last  five  years,  been  much  among  the  watermen  on  our 
canals  and  the  sailors  on  those  great  internal  seas.  He  had  watched  with  great  inter- 
est the  state  of  their  feelings  and  habits  in  relation  to  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  day. 
Five  years  since  Ihey  cared  nothing  for  the  Sabbath,  and  then  had  freedom  to  rest  on 
that  day  been  offered  them,  three-fourths  of  their  number  would  have  rejected'tlie 
boon.  But  now  the  case  was  widely  different.  These  once  neglected  men  now  be- 
gan to  fee]  tliat  there  were  those  who  cared  for  them  as  men,  as  accountable  beings 
destined  to  something  higher  and  better  than  their  few  enjoyments  in  tins  world. 
The  moment  tiiis  conviction  came  home  to  their  bosoms,  it  wrought  a  wonderful  change 
in  their  feelings  and  all  their  solicitudes,  and  they  now  felt  eager  to  avail  themselves- 
of  the  rest  and  refreshment  of  the  Sabbath  day.  Nor  did  they  feel  this  onl_v,  but 
freely  expressed  it.  After  various  experiments  they  had  become  salisfiod  that  they 
were  unable  of  themselves  to  break  up  the  practice  of  running  boats  and  sailing  ves- 
sels on  the  Lord's  day,  and  they  had  therefore  united  in  a  petition  to  lire  directors  of 
canals  to  instruct  tl>eir  hands  to  keep  the  Sabbath.  A  petilior)  to  this  effbei  had  been 
signed  by  vast  nimibers  of  these  people:  and  tliat  without  any  solicitation  front 
others  : — they  were  spontaneous  in  the  matter  and  exhibited  great  eagerness  to  make 
the  effort.  Durmg  the  last  winter  not  less  than  1,260  captains  of  boats  had  presented 
three  memorials  to  the  Legislature  on  this  interesting  and  important  suliject :  many 
other  petition.^  iiad  come  up  from  other  classes  of  our  citizens,  and  the  result  liad  been 
the  reference  of  the  whole  to  a  committee  of  the  State  Senate  who  had  returned  to 
that  body  a  most  valuable  report,  cx|>licilly  recognizing  the  broad  foundations  of  chris- 
tian duty.  The  petitions  presented  last  year  not  havir^g  been  granted,  they  were  now 
inquiring  what  course  to  pursue.  Undismayed  by  the  want  of  success  in  their  first 
attempt,  they  were  now  circulating  a  fresh  memorial  which  would  receive  signatures 
three  or  four  times  as  numerous  as  before.  Mr.  S.  here  related  a  conversation  he  had 
held,  not  long  since,  with  the  helmsman  of  a  canal  boat,  whose  mind  he  found  in  a  very 
tender  state,  and  who  shed  many  teai's  under  the  earnest  appeals  made  to  him — until^ 
at  longUi,  unable  longer  to  endure  tiie  pressure  upon  his  conscience,  he  burst  out  wilhi 


10 

this  moving  langunge,  "  Oh  sir,  do  not  talk  to  me  any  more.  I  can't  be  a  christian 
while  I  live  in  the  breach  of  the  Sabbath,  and  such  is  the  state  of  my  family  that  I 
cannot  leave  the  boat."  Here  then  was  a  plain  case  in  which  the  force  of  public 
sentiment  by  compelling  the  running  of  public  conveyances  on  the  Lord's  day  was 
directly  barring  the  door  of  heaven  against  a  distressed  soul  who  would  gladly  en- 
ter in. 

The  same  feeling  prevailed  among  the  sailors  on  the  lakes.  They  had  reasoned  on 
this  subject,  tliat  if  the  Temperance  pledge  had  done  so  much  for  the  good  of  the 
world  why  might  not  a  Sabbath  pledge  work  in  the  same  way?  They  had  according- 
ly drawn  up  a  written  agreement  pledging  themselves  not  to  leave  port,  nor  load  or 
unload  any  vessel  on  the  Lord's  day.  This  pledge  had  been  signed  by  si.t  hundred  of 
the  sailors  plying  on  Lake  Erie,  and  they  carried  it  out  in  action.  One  instance  of 
the  effects  of  this  he  would  relate  to  the  Convention.  In  a  cei-tain  port  upon  Lake 
Erie  adverse  winds  had  detained  a  vessel  that  was  ready  to  sail  until  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, when  the  wind  suddenly  became  fair,  and  the  captain  instantly  ordered  nil  handa 
to  prepare  for  setting  sail :  but  much  to  his  surprise  not  a  creature  stirred  to  obey  the 
command.  On  enquiring  the  reason,  they  told  him  they  had  signed  a  pledge  not  to 
labor  on  the  Sabbath  day.  Transported  with  rage  he  dismissed  them  on  the  spot, 
and  went  off  to  get  another  crew.  Applying  to  some  men  who  appeared  to  be  out 
of  emploj'nient,  there  reply  was  "  we  cannot  ship  to-day  :  we  believe  tliat  God  has 
given  us  the  Sabbath  for  rest  and  for  his  worship,  and  we  are  afraid  that  a  man  who 
would  rob  God  of  his  day  would  rob  us  of  our  wages,  "if  he  could."  (A  laugh  )  The 
numbers  of  those  in  this  holy  conspiracy  were  every  day  increasing :  and  iMr.  S.  was 
strong  in  the  hope  that  the  day  would  yet  dawn  upon  our  land,  when  if  a  man  wanted 
•his  vessel  got  out  to  sea  on  the  Sabbath  day,  he  would  have  to  do  it  himself. 

■  Rev. Mr.  Williamson,  of  Pennsylvania,  observed  that  he  had"  a  few  facts  within  his 
knowledge  respecting  the  canal  labors  of  that  State  which  might  perhaps  interest  the 
Convention.  He  had  circulated  a  paper  containing  a  number  of  enquiries,  from  the 
replies  to  which  he  had  collected  much  information.  TJie  result  was  that  in  general 
the  line  boats -had  stopped  running.  The.  contracts  made  by  merchants  new  fre- 
qufenUy  contained  a  proviso  that  the  boats  conveying  their  merchandize  need  not  travel 
on  the  Lord*sday.  From  the  lock-keepers  he  learned  tliat  the  boats  in  general  avpid- 
ed  setting  out  in  the  day  time,  but  waited  for  the  dark  of  the  evening.  Much  anxiety 
was  nOw  felt  by  the  lock-tenders  that  an  entire  s"top  should  be  put  to  Sabbath  canal 
travelling.  The  influence  of  lying  by  on  the  Lord's  day  did  not  proVe,  as  had  been. by 
someappreliendedjinjurious-to  the  morals  of  the  boat  hands.  It  was  the  testimony 
of  the  visiting  committees  who  had  been  appointed  in  reference  to  the  observance  of 
the  Sabbath,  that' the  men  behaved  better  than  before  the  change.  They  were  often 
found  upon  tlie  Lord's  day  with  the  liible  or  with  tracts  in  liieir  hands,  peaceably  read- 
ing, and  many  of. them  earnestly  enquiring  for  the  truth.  Others,  on  slopping, .would 
enquire  for  a  place  .of  worship,  wlu!ii  they  would  attend  in  the  most  orderly  manner. 
It  was  seldom  that  they  went  wandering  about  tlie  neighborhood  comniitling  depre- 
dations and  .trespasses,  as  had  once  been  the  case.  As  to  stopping  tlie  lunning  of 
boats  altogether,  the  proprietors  of  the  lines  would  many  of  them  fiivor  ihe  proposal, 
were  the  measure  come  into  by  oilier  lines.  Their  general  reply  vvas  "  if  others  will 
stop,  we  will  stop,"  but  while  others  continued  to  run  their  boats  or  cars,  they  were 
apprelicnsivc  that  the  travel  would  be  drawn  off  in  anoliior  direction.  On  one  of 
.the  rentes  the  mail  had  ceased  to  run,  and  instead  of  creating  dissatisfaction  among 
the  people,  it  had  occasioned  general  content. 

Rev.  Dr.  Ed<iy,  froth  New  Jersey,  said  that  ho  also  had  a  little  information  to 
present.  The  design  of  the  Resoluiiim  as  he  understood  it,  was  to  show  that  vt  was 
not  only  morally  wrong,'  but  unprofitable  in  a  jiecuniary  view,  fur  men  to  violate  the 


11 

Sabbath  day.  To  some  minds  the  suljject  presented  itself  in  a  different  light:  there 
were  men  who  expected  to  realize  pecuniary  benefit  from  disregarding  the  divine  com- 
mand: and  certainly  the  number  was  comparatively  small  who  were  sufficiently  consci- 
entious lo  continue  the  observance  of  the  Sabbatliday  at  a  pecuniary  loss  to  tliemselvea. 
It  was  tlierefore  important  to  convince  men  that  in  supposing  they  were  consulting  their 
worldly  interest  by  breaking  the  Sabbath  in  conducting  their  business,  they  were  un- 
der a  great  mistake. 

Dr.  E.  had  in  his  possession  an  official  return  from  the  N.  York  and  Pliiladelphia 
Rail  Road,  which  went  to  shew  that  between  N.  York  and  N.  Brunswick,  the  propor- 
tion of  travel  on  the  Sabbath,  as  compared  with  the  other  days  of  the  week,  was  as 
no  to  499.  This  was  the  proportion  in  1843.  It  184411  was  as  394  to  791.  This 
statement,  considered  in  itself,  was  calculated  to  produce  the  impression  that  the  Com- 
pany experienced  a  loss  by  continuing  to  run  their  cars  on  the  Sabbath:  but  it  was 
not  so.  Worldly  men  were  usually  sharp  in  the  knowledge  of  their  own  interest; 
and  certainly  were  not  likely  long  to  submit  to  a  personal  loss  for  the  promotion  of 
the  public  good  :  still  less  was  this  to  be  expected  from  Corporations.  The  loss  which 
thus  occurred  was  made  up  by  discontinuing  nine  six  day  cars  and  throwing  all  the 
passengers  into  the  mail  cars,  and  thus  actually  increasing  the  amount  of  receites 
from  these  trains  on  the  Sabbath. 

Dr.  E.  produced  another  document  which  had  been  furnished  to  him  by  the  attorney, 
of  several  pf  these  Rail  Road  Companies.  The  cars  from  Philadelpiiia  toN.  Bruns- 
wick were  owned  by  one  Company,  those  between  N. 'Brunswick  and  N.  York  by 
another.  Nine  cars  ran  each  way.  These  cars  rested  on  the  Sa!)bath,  but  the  Mail 
lines  continued  to  run,'  and  pn  them  the  proportion  of  Sabbath  travel  to  that  on  the 
week  days,  was  as  to  287  to  273.  Not\vithstai>ding  this  state  of  tilings,  the  Company 
were  willing  and  desirous  to  discontinue  the  running  of  ihe  whole  on  the  Sabbath  day, 
and  would  have  done  so  before  now,  were  they  not  under  contract  with  the  Govern- 
ment, by  which  they  were  bound  to  carry  a  Sabbath  Mail.  They  were  fully  sensible. 
of  the  divine  obligation  Upon  them  to  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day,  ahd  so  appreciated 
the  value  of  the  divine  institute  to  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  mankind,  that  they 
would  gladfy  stop  all  their  cars  and  rest  aecording  to  the  commandment,  were  it  not 
for  their  contract  with  the  General  Post  Office.  Overtures  had  been  made  to  the  De- 
partment, and  the  proprietors  looked  witli  anxiety  to  the  results  of  the  presenfConr  . 
vention  upon  public  opinion  for  the  prospect  of  a  happy  issue  to  their  applications. 

The  question  being  now  taken,  the  5th  Resolution  was  adopted. 

The  Gth  Resolution  having  been  read,  and  the  question  recurring 
on  its  adoption,  it  was  agTeed  to^  viz. :.      .  .        . 

■  VI.  Resolved,  Tliat  we  witness  with  great  pleasure  the  influence- 
which  many  editors,  not. only  of  the  religious,  but  the  secal'ar  press 
of  our  country,  are  exerting  in  favor  of  the  Lord's  day. — And  trust 
that  their  labors  will  be  duly  appreciated  by  the  patriotic  pf  all 
classes,  and  meet  a  general  response  from  the  heart's  of  the  people. 

Dr.  Eddy,,  from  the  Businiess  Committee,  reported  the  following 
Resolution  :    . 

VII.  Resolved,  That,  in  a  free  country,  where  general  intelli- 
gence and  virtue  are  essential  to  the  purity  and  peroiancjice  of  civil 
institi>tions — the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  is  pecidiarly  necessary, 
in  order  to  secure  that  respect  for. the  laws,  wliich  is  essential  to 
public  Iranquilit}',  and  that  general  conviction  of  moral  responsi- 
bility on  which  the  safety  of  property,  and  cliaract.er,  and  life,  and 
the  appropriate  enjoyment  and- use  of  these  blessings  depend. 


12 

Dr.  Eflvrards  arlvocated  the  Resolntion.— It  staled,  that  in  a  free  eountry  like  our^, 
where  iritcllig-ence  prevailed  to  so  hrge  an  extent,  tiie  due  observance  of  llic  Sabbath, 
(by  vvJiioh  term  lie  meant  a  day  of  public  rest,  set  apart  for  the  public  acknowledge- 
ment of  the  divine  Author  of  tills  world,)  is  absolutely  necessary  to  secure  that 
respect  for  the  laws  which  is  essential  to  the  preservation  of  public  tranquillity,  and 
that  conviction  of  moral  responsibility  on  which  the  safety  of  property  and  life  de- 
pended. The  officers  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  in  violation  (as  the  Commission- 
ers of  Canals  themselves  declared,)  of  the  hws  of  the  State,  had  opened  the  locks  for 
the  pass.ii^c  of  boats,  in  a  business  which  occupied  the  time  and  labor  of  twenty 
thousand  boatmen. 

Tlie  Committee  of  the  Senate  of  the  Stale  of  New  York,  on  a  petition  from  tire 
captains  of  numerous  canal  boats,  stated  it  as  a  well  known  fuel  in  the  history  of  the 
vicious  and  depraved,  that  the  violation  of  the  Sabbath  was  generally  the  first  step 
in  that  career  of  crime  which  led  to  men's  utter  ruin.  Nor  was  this  at  all  strange 
or  mysterious.  The  want  of  moral  and  religious  culture  left  the  mind  destitute  of 
moral  restraint,  like  a  vessel  cast  upon  a  wild  tempestuous  sea,  without  compass  or 
chart ;  no  wonder  that  the  end  was  the  utter  wreck  of  character  and  life  itself. 

To  shew  that  this  was  something  more  than  mere  human  opinion,  he  appealed  to 
facts,  which,  occurring  in  providence,  were  the  voice  of  God.  Out  of  one  thousand, 
two  hundred  and  thirty-two  convicts,  in  the  State  Prison  at  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  four  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven  had  been  watermen,  dej)rived,  by  their  slavish  employment  of 
the  rest  of  the  Sabbath.  This  class  of  men  did  not  compose  one-twentieth  of  the 
population,  and  yet  they  constituted  a  full  third  of  all  the  convicts ;  out  of  one  thou- 
sand, two  hundred  and  thirty-two  Ihus  convicted,  only  twenty-six,  even  pretended, 
that  they  ever  kept  the  Sabbath.  So  much  for  the  effeets  of  opening  the  locks  of  the 
State  canals  on  the  Lord's  day.  Out  of  one  thousand,  four  hundred  and  fifty  convicts 
in  the  same  prison,  in  1839,  five  hundred  and  sixty-three  were  of  this  same  oppressed 
class  of  laboiing  men.  Thus,  this  appalling  result,  was  not  a  mere  transient  or  soli- 
tary fact,  but  a  fact  regularly  recurring,  and  therefore  holding  forth  a  practical  com- 
mcntiry  on  the  law  of  God.  That  law  was  written,  not  on  tables  of  stone  only,  but 
on  the  bodies  and  the  souls  of  men.  This  appointment  of  one  day  of  weekly  rest 
was  interwoven  throughout  the  wliole  nature  of  man.  The  Sabbath  was  made  for 
man  by  Him  who  made  -man,  and  who  knew  what  he  made  him  for.  It  was  made, 
Jesus  iiiinself  being  witness,  for  "Man."  "  Man,"  did  not  mean  "  the  Jews  "  The 
scripture  declared,  that  "Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman,  is. of  few  days,  and  full  of 
trouble  :"  it  did  not  mean  to  assert  that  the  Jews  only  were  of  few  days.  Again,  it 
declared  that  "  it  is  appointed  to  Man  once  to  die,  and  after  that  the  judgment." — 
Was  this  appointed  to  the  Jews  only?  Every  body  knew  to  whom  such  language 
applied.  The  Sabbath  was  made  for  him,  to  whom  it  was  appointed  once  to  die ;  for 
him,  who  is  of  few  days  and  full  of  trouble  ;  and  it  was  given  to  aid  him  in  prepara- 
tion for  a  judgment  to  come. 

The  question  being  put,  the  7tl»  Resolution  wa.s  adopted. 
The  Conveulion  took  a  recess  till  7  o'clock. 

Evening  session, — 7  o^lock. 
Convention  met.     Prayer  was  oflered  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Eddy. 

Dr.  Edwards,  from  the  Busines.s  Committee,  said,  that  he  was  instructed  by  that 
Committee  to  say,  that  it  had  been  deemed  by  the  Baltimore  Sabbath  Association  highly 
expedient,  that  a  summary  report  of  the  doings  of  this  Convention,  be  prepared  and 
printed  for  gratuitous  circulation.  To  accomi)Iish  this  very  desirable  end,  it  would 
bo  necessaiy  that  a  collection  should  be  taken  up;  and  he  proposed  that  this  should, 
now  be  done. 


It* 
o 

The  suggestion  met  with  a  read}^  assent,  and  it  was 
Ordered,  That  the  menihcrs  at"  the  Committee  of  Eniollment, 
perform  tlie  duty  of  collectors. 

The  fbllou'iag  documents  were  then  read. 

1st.  From  the  Secretary  of  the  Baltimore  and  Susquehanna  Rail 
Road.— >.See  Appendix. 

2nd.  A  letter  from  Chief  Justice  Ilornblower,  of  New  Jersey. 

Newark,  New  JtRsny,      ) 
J^hnday  JMorning,  Oct.  2o,    1844.  J 

Dear  Sir  : — 

I  reached  home  late  on  Saturday  night  last  from  our  Supreme  Court,  and  found 
on  my  table  yeur  letter  of  tire"  18'lh  inst.  I  baste'n  to  reply,  and  have  little  ume 
now  to  do  more,  than  to  express  my  deep  regfet,  that  a.  pfessure  of  official  duties- will 
prevent  me  from  going  to  Ballijnore  tniattend  the  contemplated  Sabbath  Goiivenlion. 

Please,  dear  fiir^  assure  that  body,  when  it-^jhail  be  assemb]ed,'lhat'iH  the  ^reat  ob- 
ject of  their  meelt'Og,!  am  with  them,'  heart  and  soul,  in'  all  fiiy  moral  feelui^s,  my 
chri.stian  sympalhiea,  and  iriy  loveof  country.— It  wouldbe.asMse!eiis,.as  itwouldbe 
indisci.eci,  for  ine  to  al-terript,  within  the  liiriits  of  sucli  a  couiuiuiuciilion -.as'  this 
should  be,  to  write  an  essay  or*  the  obligation  tliat  rests' upcii  us,  to  htep  liolj',  tlie 
Sabbath. day,  and  tlie  importance  of  doing  s'6,  as  Connected,  witii  the  u'(;ll  being 
of  society:  the  enjo'yment  of  personal  health  and  comfort,  and  tire  promotion  and  se- 
curity of  domestic  peace,  virtue  and  happiness.-— rSuch  discussions  I  nnist  leave  to 
abler  hands,  and  to  those  whose  studies,  duties  and  avocations  in  life,  better  fu  them 
for  such  a  task. — Permit  nie,  however,  to  advert  for  » moment  to  my  own. experience 
and  observa.Uons,  oil, this  subject.  For  for-ty  yeiirs  I  have  been  extensively  and  famil- 
iarly acquainted  and  cdruifectcd  with  the.  adrmnistralion  of  ju.stice,  in  this  State  :  and 
for  the  la-st  twelve  years,  as  the. presiding  .ificmber  of  its  Suprenie  Court,  it  luts'been 
my  painful  duty  to  pronounce  the  sentence,  of  the  law  on  many  wretched  convicts, 
and  for  crimes. of  every  grade  ;  from  that  of. the  petty  thief  to  the  crui'l  and  cold- 
blooded murderer. — Ou  the  trial  of  many  .of  those  persons,  their  histories,  sometimes 
from  thei-r  boyhood  and  their  early  associations,  have  been  incidentally,  and  more  or 
less,  fully  devehiped,  and  I  hazard  nothing  in  saying,  that  in  a  large  inajority  of 
such  cases,  the  first  and  minor  delinquencies  of  the  convict,  have  resulted  (lom,  -or 
been  connected  with,  desecrations  of  the  Sabbath  by  themselves  and  their  compan- 
ions.— In  many  instances  too,  the  unhap.py  convicts  turn  out  to  be  the  children  of 
Sabbatli-breaking  parents  ;  or  of  parents,  however  otherwise  respectable,  or  well-otF 
in  society,  who  have  habitually  neglected  the  religious  observance  of  the  Sabbath, 
and  permitted  their  families  and  children,  to  live  and  grow  up  in  utler  disregard  of 
that  day,  and  of  all  the  sacred  institutions  connected  with  it. 

1  could  extend  these  remarks,  and  give  some  specific  and  painful  instances  of  moral 
turpitude  and  of  human  sorrow  and  sufToring,  resulting  from  the  habitual  desecration 
or  neglect  of  the  Sabbatii,  illustrating  the  views  I  have  expressed,  and  proviiio-  the 
blessed  truth  that  that  day  was  made /or  nioji,  and  kindly  instituted  by  heaven,  to 
promote  both  his  temporal  and  eternal  welfare. — But  .time-  will  not  permit  me  to  en- 
large. Ma3'  the  God  of  the  Sabbath  and  thef  Sanctuary,  be  with  tlie  Convention 
when  it  meets. — May  nothing  bo  attempted  in  mere  human  wisdom :  nothing  hoped 
for,  as  the  result  of  man's  device:  nothing  done,  that  shall  have  the  appcararice  of 
a  wantoFi  interference  with  the  laws  and  institutions  of  our  country,  or  the  civil  and 
religious  liberty  of  our  fellow  citizens. — Let  moral  suasion,  exhortation  and  advico, 
precept,  example  and  prayer,   be  resorted  to  and  relied  upon,  under  God,  as   our 


14 

means  of  sustaining  and  promoting  tiie  sanctification  and  observance  of  the  Sabbath, 
and  of  perpetuating  and  increasing  its  liallowed  influences,  and  then  we  may  hope  for 
success  in  our  noble  and  benevolent  enterprise. — Connnending  the  Convention  to  the 
guidance  and  protection  of  Him,  from  whom  cometh  down  every  good  and  perfect 
gift,  and  sincerely  praying  tiiat  tiie  spirit  of  wisdom  will  pieside  in  their  councils,  and 
conduct  them  to  blessed  results,  I  remain.  Dear  Sir, 

Most  respectfully,  your  friend  and  servant, 

JOS.  C.  HORNBLOWER. 
Rev.  O.  S.  Powell,  Secretary,  &.c. 

Srd,  From  the  Hon.  Judge  Hall,  Delaware. — See  Jlppendix. 
4th.  From  Rev.  Dr.  Schmucker,  of  Gettysburg,  Pa. 

TuEOLOGicAL  Seminary,  Js'ovemher  "blh,  1844. 
To  the  Sabbath  Contention,  &c. 

Dear  Brethren, — Until  this  morning  I  cherished  the  pleasing  expectation  of 
personally  appearing  in  your  midst,  but  the  sudden  increase  of  cold,  compels  me  to 
shun  an  exposure,  which  would  almost  certainly  cause  the  return  of  a  disease,  by 
which  I  was  confined  to  the  house  during  tiie  greater  part  of  last  winter.  Under 
these  circumstances  1  sliould,  in  common  with  other  non-attending  delegates,  have 
contented  myself  with  silently  praying  for  the  divine  blessing  on  your  assemblage  ; 
but  having,  in  addition  to  my  county  appointment,  been  honored  by  the  American 
and  Foreign  Sabbath  Association  as  one  of  their  delegates  to  this  Convention,  I  feel  it 
due  to  that  respectable  body  and  to  myself,  to  express  my  deep  symyatliy  in  llie  ob- 
jects of  an  assemblage,  on  which  the  eyes  of  angels  and  of  God,  1  doubt  not,  linger 
with  pleasure. 

To  promote  the  better  observance  of  that  day,  most  intimately  connected  with  the 
highest  interests  of  men,  and  by  moral  and  legal  means  to  withdraw  tliis  great  nation 
from  the  ranks  of  its  positive  and  official  desecrators ;  so  that  all,  whether  office- 
bearers or  private  christians,  may  in  reality,  as  well  as  in  profession,  be  lefl  to  enjoy 
those  rights  of  conscience,  guaranteed  by  our  national  constitution,  is  a  noble  aim. 
It  will  aid  our  fellow-citizens  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  land,  to  rise 
to  a  consciousness  of  their  immortal  destinies,  to  recognize  their  relation  to  the  God  of 
the  universe,  and  learn  to  feel,  that  though  dwelling  on  earth,  their  proper  citizen- 
ship is  in  heaven.  Such  an  object  cannot  fail  to  ensure  the  smiles  of  Jehovah,  until 
the  supreme  Lawgiver  no  longer  delights  in  the  obedience  of  his  creatures,  nor  takes 
pleasure  in  contemplating  actions,  which  he  liimselflias  commanded. 

The  numerous  resolutions  of  town  and  country  meetings,  of  Presbyteries  and 
Synods,  together  with  the  tones  of  deep  and  wide-spread  interest,  uttered  of  late  by 
the  pulpit  and  the  press,  which  will  pass  under  your  review,  cannot  fail  to  fill  your 
hearts  with  joy,  and  make  your  Convention,  in  some  measure,  what  Tertullian  lells 
U9  the  Lord's  day  or  Christian  Sabbath  Itself  was  in  the  earlier  ages,  namely,  a  time 
of  rejoicing;  so  that,  on  that  day  of  the  week,  christians  would  neither  fast,  nor 
kneel  when  they  prayed.  You  will  have  amongst  you  representatives  of  nearly  all 
the  tribes  of  our  Protestant  Israel,  who  were  deputed  to  your  holy  convocation  ;  and 
my  heart  is  ready  to  exclaim.  "  IIow  pleasant  it  is  for  bretliren  to  dwell  together  in 
unity!"  How  beautiful  an  cxemj)lification  of  christian  union  on  an  object  of  com- 
mon interest!  We  are  wont  to  refer  to  the  ago  of  the  Reformation  as  a  period  of  sur- 
passing splendor  in  the  triumphs  of  Christianity — and  so  it  was.  Il  icrts  an  age  of 
noble  daring,  and  of  glorious  achievement,  in  many  respects.  Cut  such  a  convoca- 
tion as  yours,  could  not  have  been  held  in  that  age;  because  the  early  reformers 
themselves  entertained  rather  inadequate  views  on  this  subject.  It  cannot  be  denied, 
they  stand  on  immovable  ground  in  maintaining  the  abrogation  of  the  Jewish  Sab- 


15 

bath,  and  the  absence  of  a  positive  precept  for  the  observation  of  the  first  day  of  the 
weeii.  But  they  seem  not  to  have  conceded  sufficient  force  to  the  antemos.'iic  exist- 
ence of  the  Sabbath,  and  to  its  primitive  appointment  and  sanctificatiou  by  God  in 
closing  the  creative  week.  Tlie  abrogation  of  tiie  Mosaic  ritual,  couid  not  annul 
what  had  existed  before  it,  and  independently  of  it ;  and  the  example  of  inspired 
apostles,  and  of  primitive  ciiristians  under  their  guidance,  in  observing  the  Lord's  day 
as  their  Sabbatii,  is  authority  enough  for  our  walking  in  their  steps.  The  experience 
of  God's  people  has,  moreover,  fully  demonstrated  the  cardinal  importance  of  a  care- 
ful observance  of  llie  day  of  spiritual  rest,  alike  to  growth  of  individual  piety,  and  to 
true  prosperity  in  the  church. 

Such  a  Convention  as  yours,  embracing  representatives  from  all  the  most  important 
portions  of  the  church,  could  not  even  now  be  held  on  the  continent  of  Europe. 
The  Protestant  churches  there  still  extensively  retain  the  loose  views  referred  to,  and 
regard  as  pharisaic  such  an  observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  as  is  recommended  by  the 
pious  of  our  country.  The  unhappy  union  of  church  and  state  also  hampers  their 
movements,  and  prevents  them  from  laboring  successfully  to  produce  any  important 
reform  on  tiiis  subject. 

To  our  country.  Providence  has  given  peculiar  facilities,  for  this  holy  enterprize, 
and  on  us  doubtless  devolves  peculiar  responsibility.  Concerning  the  grounds  of 
obligation  to  Sabbatic  observance,  some  diversity  of  opinion  perhaps  exists ;  on  the 
obligation  itself  there  can  be  none.  On  this  common  ground,  tlie  importance  of  the 
observance  and  the  best  measures  for  more  fully  securing  it,  by  private  individuals, 
by  churches  and  by  the  constituted  authorities  of  the  land,  we  have  a  field  sufliciently 
wide  for  harmonious  effbrt.  The  very  first  emperor  who  ever  professed  the  christian 
religion,  decreed  that  the  cliristian  soldiers  in  his  army  should  have  leisure  on  the 
Lord's  day,  to  attend  religious  worship.  How  humiliating  the  fact,  that  after  the 
lapse  of  fifteen  centuries,  many  thousands  of  our  citizens,  in  the  employment  of  our 
christian  government,  have  this  privilege  denied  them  ! 

But  I  will  trespass  on  your  time  no  longer. — May  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath  breathe 
his  sacred  influence  over  your  assembly,  and  so  prosper  his  and  our  holy  enterprize, 
that  the  careful  observance  of  the  Lord's  day  will  again,  as  it  was  among  the  early 
christians,  be  the  badge  of  discipleship,  and  the  interrogation  of  their  heathen  perse- 
cutors, dominicum  servasti  ?  be  again  equivalent  to  the  inquir)^,  art  Ihou  a  christian  ? 

Your  brother  in  Christ, 

S.  S.  SCHMUCKER. 

5th,  From  Chancellor  VVahvorth. 

Saratoga  Springs,  J\'ov.  22nd,  1844. 

Dear  Sir  : — Allow  me  througli  you  to  express  to  the  National  Sabbath  Conven- 
tion, about  to  assemble  at  your  place,  and  to  which  I  was  appointed  a  delegate,  my 
sincere  regret  that  I  cannot,  consistently  witii  other  duties,  attend  its  deliberations. 
I  had  made  arrangements  to  be  there,  and  until  yesterday  supposed  I  should  be 
able  to  do  so. 

Not  only  the  religion,  but  the  general  morality  of  a  nation  is  intimately  connected 
with  the  due  observance  of  the  Sabbath  ;  and  the  deliberations  of  this  Convention,  1 
have  reason  to  believe,  will  have  a  most  important  influence  in  turning  tiie  attention 
of  every  part  of  our  extended  republic  to  tiie  subject.  Experience  Jias  shown  that 
the  morals  of  the  people  soon  become  corrupted  where  the  Sabbath,  instead  of  being 
devoted  to  the  contemplation  of  God  and  the  duties  we  owe  to  him  and  our  fellow 
men  and  our  families,  is  spent  by  the  mass  of  the  people  in  secular  employments,  pro- 
fane revelry,  irreligious  sports,  or  in  travelling  on  business  or  for  pleasure.  I  will 
refer  to  a  striking  illustiation  of  this  fact.     We  know  from  history  that  James  the 


16 

first  of  England,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  reijn,  publicly  sanctioned  the  desecration  of 
the  Sabbath  by  his  impious  declaration  in  favor  of  Sabbath  sports  in  Lancashire ;  and 
a.  few  years  afterwards  his  unprincipled  son  and  successor  consummated  the  work  of 
impiety  by  enlarging  the  license,  and  extending  it  to  all  Etigland. —  He  also  rebuked 
and  censured  the  excellent  Chief  Justice  Richardson,  and  the  magistracy,  who  had 
attempted  to  preserve  the  holy  rest  of  the  Sabbatli  from  being  disturbed  by  dancing 
assemblies,  and  other  revehy,  archery,  vaulting- and  other  s[)orls  of  the  like  nature. 
I  reoTct  tliat  I  am  also  obliged  to  say  that  the  then  primate  of  Engiaiid  j>;incd  with 
the  king  inthis  censure  and  rebuke  of  the  upright  chief  j«stice,  if  he  did  nol  uidecd 
instifrate  the  declaration  of  Ciiarlos  the  first  in  favor  of  Sabbatli  breakinof,  to  draw  the 
•attention  of  the  people  from  the  encroach n.cnts  of  power.  The  corrupted  state  of 
the  public  morals  which  followed,  particularly  among  the  cavalieis  and  the  lower 
classes,  is  to  some  extent  a  matter  of  history,  and  is  daily  becoming  more  so  as  the 
lightof  truth  is  thrown  upon  ihe  history  of  that  durk  period. — The  bloody  revolution 
which  succeeded,  and  the  final  exj)ulsion  of  the  race  of  the  Stuarts  from  the  jJirone,  a 
fevv.  years  afterwards,  may  properly  be  considcredas  but  the  just  retributions- of  an 
offended  Gjyd;  that  God  who,  amid  the  thunderings  of  Sinai,  ha,d  pommanded  the 
people  to  remeVnber  tlie  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy. 

Allow  inpalso  to  refer  to  the  ease  of  tiie  total  abrogation  of  tlie  Sabbatli  by  revo- 
lutionary France.  TIral  abrog.ilion  was  accompanied  by  a  general  corruption  of 
morals,  and  even  by  the  breaking  up  of  the  conjugal  relation,  under  the  law  allo\Ving 
an  unlimited  divorce  ^l  the  nicrc  will  of  the  parties,  when,  as  the  Abbe  Gregoire 
states,  upwards  of  twerity  thousand  divorces  were  registered  in  the  short  space  of 
eighteen  months,  and  those  in  the  city  of  Paris  wore  nearly  equal  to  the  number  of 
marriages.  Tiiereagaiirthe  headle.«s  trunks  of  unnumbered  thousands  of  contending 
factions  attested  the  righteous  indignation  of  the  God<if  the  Sibbuth,  at  this  national 
desecration  and  abrogation  of  his  holy  day,  and  the  total  extinction  of  all  religion. 

On  the  otlier  hand,  I  hiay  refer  with  pleasure  to'  the  high  stale  of  public  and  pri- 
vate morals  which'  existed  among  the  pilgrim  fathers  of  our  own  beloved  counti-}', 
who  fled  hither  that  they- might  enjoy  and  maitrtain  the  undisturbed  sanctity  of  the 
Lord's  day,  with  freedotn  also  frorn  religious  persecution.  Witness  also  the  approv- 
ing smiles  of  Heaven  wliicli  followed  the  proper  observance  of  that  holy  day  by  the 
sons  and  dano-hters  of  the  pilgrims.  And  allow  me,  in  view  of  these  facts,  to  con- 
gratulate you,  and  the  membersof  tlie  Convention  generally,  upon  the  progiess  which 
hag  already  been  made  in  various  parts  of  our  country,  in  restoring  the  sanctity  of  the 
Sabbath  ;  and  also  upon  the  increasing  attention  to  its  proper  observance  by  all  classes, 
particularly  by  that  portion  of  the  laboring  classes  who  have  been  engaged  in  the  con- 
veyance of  passengers  and  of  the  public  mails,  and  in  the  navigation  of  our  rivers  and 
canals. 

Bishop  Porteus  says,  the  Sabbath  is  the  bulwark  of  poverty  against  the  encroach- 
ments of  capital.  And  many  who  have  heretofore  boon  employed  to  run  stages  and 
steaniboats,  or  to  labor  on  our  canal  and  rail  road  luies  upon  the  Sabbath,  arc  begin- 
ning to  learni  and  to  feel  that  capitalists  are  depriving  them  not  only  of  their  religi- 
ous privileges,  but  also  of  civil  privileges /enjoyed  by  others.  These  men  are  com- 
pelled to  labor  seven  days  in  a  week  for  the  support  of  themselves  and  their  families; 
which  support  is  in  fact  but  the  fair  wages  of  six  days'  labor.  For  the  seventh  day 
is  given  to  the  laboring  man  by  tlie  laws  of  his  country,  as  well  as  by  his  beneficent 
Creator,  as  a  day  of  rest.  A  day  to  bo  enjoyed  in  the  bosom  of  his  family,  and  in 
attendance  upon  the  institutions  of  religion,  in  which  the  temporal  as  well  as  the 
eternal  welfare  of  himself  and  his  children  is  so  deeply  concerned. 

"  Hail,  blessed  Sabbath  !  thee  I  hail,  the  poor  man's  day-, 

On  other  days  the  man  of  toil  is  doomed 

To  spend  hiis  joyless  hours  away  from  those  ho  loves." 


17 

And  I  trust  that  many  of  the  class  of  the  men  of  toil  to  which  I  have  before  refer- 
led,  when  they  also  see  the  gross  injustice,  as  well  as  the  sinfulness,  of  their  being 
thus  deprived  of  the  civil  and  religious  privileges  of  this  blessed  day,  by  the  en- 
croachments of  capital,  will  make  up  their  minds  to  resist  such  injustice  for  the 
future. 

May  the  reform  which  has  commenced  continue  to  progress.  And  may  you  and 
your  associates  in  the  Convention,  and  all  others  engaged  in  ihis  purely  benevolent 
work,  persevere  in  your  exertions  for  the  entire  sanctification  of  the  Sabbath ;  until 
nothing  but  the  sound  of  the  church-going  bell,  the  voice  of  the  messenger  of  salva- 
tion, and  the  accents  of  prayer  and  of  praise,  shall  break  upon  its  holy  stillness 
througliout  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  this. highly-favored  land. 
I  am,  with  respect  and  esteem,  3'ours,  &c. 

R.  H.  WALWORTH. 

Rev.  J.  G.  Hamner,  Baltimore. 

6th.  From  Hon.  Theo.  Frelinghuysen. 

New  York,  J^^'ovember  25lh,  1844. 

Gektlemen: — I  sincerely  regret  that  my  duties  in  the  University  will  not  allow 
me  to  meet  you,  agreeably  to  your  kind  invitation,  at  the  Sabbath  Convention,  to  be 
held  at  Baltimore  on  Wednesday  next.  I  hope  for  great  blessings  to  follow  this 
movement  in  behalf  of  the  Sabbath  day;  and  my  earnest  prayer  to  God  is,  that  His 
Spirit  may  be  present  with  you,  and  guide  all  your  deliberations  to  the  happiest  re- 
sults. He  has  written  the  solemn  truth  on  the  whole  line  of  his  Providence,  as  well 
as  on  the  pages  of  his  word,  that  the  people  who  despise  his  Sabbaths  must  suffer  his 
frowns.  May  we  be  enabled  to  bring  tlie  claims  of  this  holy  day  of  mercy  and  privi- 
lege near  to  the  consideration  and  earnest  regard  of  our  fellow  citizens.  When  they 
shall  esteem  it  a  delight  and  honorable,  then  may  we  hope  for  prosperity  in  larger 
measures  than  ever  before. 

With  great  respect,  yours, 

THEO.  FRELINGHUYSEN. 

JMcssrs.  Alex.  M.  Carter,  C.  W.  Ridgely,  and  W.  G.  Baker,  Committee,  &c. 

7th.  From  gentlemen  of  Bangor,  Maine. 

Bangor,  J\"ovemher  20th,  1844. 
To  the  Commillee  of  Corresponcknce  of  the  Ballimore  Sabbath  ^Association  : 
Gentlemen, — 

It  is  a  matter  of  very  great  interest  with  us  that  arrangements  have  been  made  for 
a  general  Sabbath  Convention  in  your  city.  We  are  glad  to  see  the  arrangements 
made  on  a  broad  scale.  Our  hope  is  that  the  mind  and  heart  of  the  nation  will  be 
there ;  and  that  the  greatest  good  will  be  done.  We  will  anticipate  the  meetino-  of 
the  Convention,  and  follow  it,  with  our  prayers. 

We  are  in  the  midst  of  Sabbath  breaking,  which,  if  not  all  of  it  the  most  gross,  is 
sufficiently  distressing.  We  have  Sabbath  mails  every  week,  an  open  Post  Office,  and 
an  open  Reading  or  News-room.  Tiiese  things,  together  with  such  profanation  of 
the  Sabbath  as  they  invariably  carry  along  with  them,  and  such  other  scenes  of  it  as 
are  wont  to  appear  in  cities,  and  sea  ports,  give  us  painful  proof  that  men  have  yet 
to  learn  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

In  relation  to  this  whole  matter  will  j'ou  allow  us  to  make  one  suggestion.  The 
matter  of  it  lies  with  great  weight  on  our  minds;  and  if  we  shall  find,  in  the  sequel 
of  your  Convention,  that  it  lies  with  equal  or  with  greater  weight  on  yours,  we  shall 
rejoice  the  more. 

2 


18 

Willi  all  others  we  believe  that  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man— for  his  henejit.  It 
promotes,  and  was  designed  to  promote,  liis  temporal  comfort  and  welfare.'' Let  it  be 
sanctified, — and  business  will  be  more  productive,  health  will  be  better  secured,  per- 
sonal cultivation  will  be  more  largely  promoted,  dortiestie  welfare  will  be  more  sure, 
and  the  joy  of  parents  in  their  children  more  constant  and  abiding.  The  profanation 
of  the  Sabbath  we  believe  to  be  pregnant  with  all  manner  of  evils.  It  produces  a 
kind  of  Pandora-infection,  that  poisons  all  the  interests  of  society  and  of  the  family. 
There  are  recorded  facts,  (sufficient  to  convince  any  candid  man — even  the  most 
worldly,)  which  show  that  the  Sabbiith  is  indispensable  to  his  comfort,  and  to  his 
highest  success  in  business  pursuits.  In  these  facts  we  see  a  powerful  motive  to  the 
due  observance  of  the  day.  It  is  a  motive  that  should  be  held  up  to  view  by  the 
friends  of  the  Sabbath  and  of  man. 

But  there  is  another  motive,  that  is  entitled  to  be  held  before  it,  and  above  it.  And 
here  we  come  to  the  sucrgostion  we  wish  to  make.  Repeatedly  have  we  been  made 
anxious,  lest  this  motive  emanating  fiom  the  secular  benefits  of  the  Sabbath  should 
be  made  too  prominent,  to  the  neglect  of  one  infinitely  more  weighty.  Alas  the 
day!  we  are  ready  to  e.tclaiin,  when  the  uill  of  God  shall  cease  to  be  the  first,  the 
great,  the  decisive  motive  in  this  whole  matter.  Let  that  day  come,  and  what  will 
follow  ?  We  will  suppose  your  great  concourse  of  men  in  Baltimore  an  example  of 
what  will  follow.  They  assemble ;  and  the  question  before  them  is  the  rest  of  the 
Sabbatli.  From  careful  statistical  tables  they  find  that  it  will  be  to  their  advantage 
to  suspend  labor  on  that  day.  They  vote,  therefore,  and  with  great  unanimity,  that 
they  will  suspend  accordingly.  The  motive  that  decides  them  is  not  the  icill  of  God, 
but  pecuniary  profit.  Reverse  now  ihe  showing  of  the  tables,  and  the  Convention  is 
ready,  with  equal  unanimity,  to  vote  not  to  suspend.  Who,  then,  is  the  God  they 
obey, — Jehovah,  or  Mammon? 

Let  it  be  so  that  tlie  ivill  of  God  shall  hold  us, — that  it  siiall  hold  us  as  steadfastly, 
without  the  pecuniary  profit  as  iciih  it,  and  then  there  will  be  hope  in  our  case.  Shall 
we  obey  liim  simply  because  he  pays  us  for  it,  or  because  right,  and  consequent  duty 
require  il  of  us? 

Yours,  in  a  common  faith  and  fellowship, 

JOHN  MALTBY,  Pastor  Ham'd  street  Church, 

JKREMIAH  CHAPLIN,  Pastor  First  Baptist  Church, 

JOHN  WEST,  Rector  St.  John's  Church, 

S.  L.  POMROY,  Pastor  of  First  Congregational  Church, 

JOHN  HOBART,  Pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 

ARTHUR  CAVERNO,  Pastor  of  the  F.  B.  Church, 

EiVOCIi  POND,  Professor  in  the  Theological  Seminary, 

GEO.  SIIEPARD, 

DANIEL  TALCOTT  SMITH,  Prof  in  the  Theo.  Seminary, 

ROBERT  PAGE,  Acting  Pastor  of  the  Congreg.  Church, 

Old  Town, 
NATHAN  DOLE,  Pastor  First  Congreg.  Church,  Brewer, 

At  the  suggestion  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ethvards,  an  invUalion  was 
given  by  the  Cliair  to  such  members  of  the  Convention  as  were  in 
possession  of  interesting  facts  having  a  bearing  on  tlie  state  of 
Sabbath  observance  in  tlieir  respective  neighborhoods,  briefly  to 
state  them. 

Rev.  Mr.  Boughton,  of  Ccntrevillc,  New  Yoik,  said  that  he  had  been  delegated 
from  a  most  afflicted  portion  of  the  country,  viz:  iLe  vaUey  of  the  Mohawk  river. 


p 


19 

Af.iicjtert  it  vras  and  injured  by  tlie  desecration  of  the  Lord's  day  upon  tiie  canals  and 
rail  roads  which  passed  Ihrouirh  that  dcliglitful  valley.  After  dvvellino^  some  time  on 
'die  injurious  effects  of  this  evil  on  the  moral  state  of  the  community  there,  he  stated 
it  as  a  milig-ating  circumstance  that  the  Albany  and  Utica  Rail  Road  Company  ap- 
peared of  late  to  be  more  favorable  to  a  Sabbath  reform  upon  their  line  than  formerly. 
They  had  addressed  a  memorial  to  the  Postmaster  General  praying  for  a  suspension 
of  the  Sabbath  transmission  of  the  mail  on  that  route.  The  answer  received  was 
that  on  tiiat  point  it  was  for  the  people  residing  in  the  valley  to  decide,  as  the  Depart- 
ment would  conform  its  action  to  their  wisiies.  Many  of  the  passenger  trains  had 
been  wiliidrawn  ;  and  the  passage  of  the  mail  also  v;ou!d  cease  as  soon  as  the  public 
expressed  their  will.  Here  then  the  responsibility  was  thrown  upon  the  people ;  and 
on  them  alone.     Their  Government  was  ready  to  carry  out  their  wishes. 

Rev.  Mr.  Stillman  desired  to  submit  a  few  facts  in  relation  to  the  State  of  New 
York.  Tiie  great  chain  of  rail  road  commencing  at  Boston  and  terminating  at  Buf- 
falo consisted  of  eight  distinct  links,  owned  and  controlled  by  as  many  distinct  incor- 
porated companies,  each  having  a  Board  of  Directors.  With  many  of  these  gentle- 
men Mr.  S.  had  had  much  conversation.  They  informed  him  that  they  had  received 
and  read  with  much  interest  the  circular  letter  addressed  by  the  Sabbath  Association 
of  Saratoga  to  the  proprietors  of  rail  roads  in  the  State  of  New  York.  They  ac- 
knowledged the  truth  of  the  doctrine  there  set  forth,  and  felt  the  force  of  the  rebuke 
and  remonstrance  which  accompanied  it.  They  looked,  too,  witii  earnest  expecta- 
tion to  the  results  of  the  present  Convention.  Many  consultations  had  been  held 
among  them.  They  were  all  under  a  mail  contract  with  the  Government,  which 
would  not  expire  till  July  next;  and  they  looked  forward  with  anxiety  to  that  period 
when  they  hoped  that  tiie  new  contracts  would  bind  them  to  transport  the  mail  on 
six  days  only.  Many  of  them,  as  worldlv-wise  men,  made  a  careful  calculation  as  to 
the  results  of  the  present  arrangement  upon  their  interest,  and  the  books  of  the  com- 
pany shewed,  by  figures  which  could  not  lie,  that  their  cars  ran  at  a  loss  on  the  Sab- 
bath day.  The  Directors  might  be  seen  visiting  the  depots  and  looking  narrowly  at 
the  appearance  of  the  Sunday  travellers,  and  their  testimony  was  tiiat  it  is  not  the 
respectable  portion  of  the  community  who  indulge  in  this  violation  of  the  divine 
law.  The  Piesident  of  one  of  the  companies  professed  himself  personally  as  willinof 
to  travel  on  the  Sabbath  as  on  any  other  day  of  the  week,  but  observed  tliat  now-a 
days  he  saw  none  but  loafers  in  the  cars  on  that  day  :  formerly  it  was  not  so.  Men 
of  business  v/ere  once  very  commonly  found  in  our  public  vehicles  on  the  Lord's  day, 
but  now,  as  a  general  thing,  they  were  ashamed  to  be  seen  there.  This  great  and 
salutary  change  had  been  wrought  by  public  sentiment. 

Mr.  S.  observed,  with  much  satisfaction,  that  there  was  one  decided  and  honorable 
exception  to  this  wide-spread  violation  of  the  fourth  commandment,  and  that  was  in 
the  case  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal.  This  company  kept  the  Sabbath  day  ; 
and  he  had  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  in  every  step  they  took  they  were  eminently 
prosperous.  God  was  smiling  on  that  company.  I'heir  stock,  which  at  one  time 
was  so  depressed  as  to  be  the  mere  foot-ball  of  Wall  street,  was  now  so  raised  in 
reputation  and  held  to  be  on  so  stable  a  basis,  that  it  was  hard  to  be  obtained.  A 
man  must  be  of  respectable,  he  had  almost  said  of  religions  character,  before  he  could 
be  permitted  to  buy  into  the  concern.  Here  was  a  gratifying  and  instructive  proof 
held  out  to  every  worldly-wise  man  that  "  in  tlie  keeping  of  God's  commandment 
there  is"  truly  "  a  great  reward." 

The  proprietors  of  the  rail  roads  in  New  York,  would  look  with  interest  to  the 
doings  of  this  body,  and  the  documents  put  forth  by  the  Convention  would  be  seized 
on  with  avidity.  For,  many  minds  began  now  to  be  convinced  that  the  stability  of 
our  civil,  as  well  as  religious  institutions,  was  deeply  connected  with  a  right  observ- 


20 

ance  of  the  Sabbath  day.  Manj  refliictin*  men  had  become  convinced  that  ou' 
country  was  incurring  the  curse  of  heaven  by  its  open  profanation  of  God's  day,  and 
that  tlie  only  way  to  stay  his  merited  judgment  was  by  a  general  awakening  to  riglite-* 
ousness  among  our  people. 

On  our  Western  lakes  there  was  a  vast  and  increasing  amount  of  business  done. 
Not  less  than  seventy  steamboats  plied  on  tiiose  waters  to  tlie  west  of  Buffalo.  One 
step  has  this  season  been  taken  toward  the  better  observance  of  the  Sabbath.  On 
the  line  from  Buffalo  to  Chicago  no  boat  was  now  suffered  to  run  on  that  day,  and 
the  change  had  been  universally  approved  ;  not  an  instance  had  been  heard  of  in 
which  a  grumbler  opened  his  mouth  against  it.  fie  had  no  doubt  that  the  history  of 
eighteen  hundred  and  forty-five  would  shew  the  salutary  results  of  this  reform.  He 
was  privy  to  the  fact  that  in  one  company,  day  after  day  had  been  spent  in  consulta- 
tion to  ascertain  if  they  could  not  avoid  the  alleged  necessity  of  running  their  boats 
on  the  Lord's  day.  He  had  himself  been  invited  to  assist  in  their  deliberations.  The 
trouble  w.as  that  tliey  could  not  so  shape  their  business  that  the  regularity  of  their 
lines  should  not  be  broken  up  by  taking  off  their  boats  on  the  Sabbath.  To  his 
mind,  indeed,  these  difficulties  were  all  imaginary,' and  he  doubted  not  that  if  these 
embarrassed  gentlemen  would  once  come  up  to  the  mark  and  boldly  adopt  the  prin- 
ciple of  total  abstinence,  they  would  soon  come  to  the  same  conclusion.  To  our 
shame  here  at  the  North  he  could  state  that  in  Georgia  not  a  car  travelled  on  the 
Lord's  day  on  the  whole  length  of  their  great  rail  road  to  the  West.  And  in  St. 
Louis,  a  place  regarded  by  manj'  as  notoriously  ungodly,  no  boat  wa.s  suflfered  to  load 
or  unload  on  the  day  of  God.  Such  facts  migiit  well  call  up  the  blush  on  the  cheeks 
of  many  in  the  Northern  and  Eastern  States. 

Dr.  Edwards  staled  some  facts  as  to  the  Sabbath  travelling  in  New  England.  Two 
mails  left  Boston  on  the  Sabbath  and  proceeded  as  far  west  as  Worcester  :  there  the 
railroad  travel  sto{)ped.  On  the  great  northern  thoroughfare,  toward  Portland, 
nothing  moved  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles.  Through  those  mighty  chasms  the 
mountains  had  been  made  a  plain,  and  crooked  things  had  been  made  straight,  that  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  migiit  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  might  see  it  togeliier.  Then  there 
was  a  mail  to  Portsmouth,  forty  miles,  and  there  it  stopped.  In  Portland  there  was 
no  Sabbath  mail.  And  he  would  ask  if  the  bankers  and  merchants  of  Portland  could 
successfully  pursue  their  extensive  business  without  a  Sunday  mail,  could  not  the 
merchants  and  the  bankers  of  Boston,  of  Philadelphia,  and  of  Baltimore,  do  the 
same  ?  What  had  christian  merchants  to  do  with  the  state  of  the  market,  with  money, 
letters,  and  with  stocks,  upon  the  day  of  the  Lord  ?  He  knew  one,  that  had  not 
gone  or  sent  to  the  post  office  for  twenty  years,  and  yet  his  affiiirs  were  in  a  prosper- 
ous condition, — on  one  Sabbath,  ho>vever,  there  occurred  a  sudden  emergency.  On 
Saturday  night  news  reached  him,  that  a  large  amount  of  properly  had  suddenly 
been  placed  in  jeopardy,  and  his  agent  wrote  tor  immediate  instructions  as  to  what 
was  to  be  done  to  save  it.  The  merchant  wrote  his  letter  of  instructions,  and  on 
Sabbath  morning  was  on  his  way  to  drop  it  in  the  post  office.  As  he  went  alonor,  he 
said  to  himself,  "  This  is  a  new  thing  for  mc :  am  I  not  acting  in  violation  of  a  great 
principle  which  I  have  laid  down  for  my  own  government,  and  from  which  I  have 
never  departed?  is  it  well  to  goon,  or  had  I  not  better  stop?" — He  stopped:  but 
then  the  thought  came,  "but  this  is  a  special  case — a  case  of  necessity ;"  and  ho 
started  forward  again.  But  conscience  once  more  whispered,  "  this  is  very  different 
from  your  uniform  custom — is  it  right?"  He  hesitated  no  more  but  tore  up  the  let- 
ter, and  returned  home;  resolving  to  leave  his  property  to  the  care  of  divine  Provi- 
dence. The  next  week  there  arrived  another  letter  from  his  agent,  apprising  him  of 
a  great  change  in  the  circumstances  ;  and  it  now  appeared,  that  had  the  letter  ho 
wrote  gone  forward  by  the  Sumlay's  mail,  he  should  have  lost  all  the  property.     U\a 


21 

conclusion  from  the  whole-  case  was,  that  for  tlie  rest  of  his  daj's  he  would  stick  to  u 
.good  principle,  and  leave  results  with  God. 

This,  he  rejoiced  to  believe,  was  becoming  the  conclusion  with  a  good  many,  not 
■only  among  the  great  and  the  rich,  but  also  among  the  people  of  moderate  circum- 
stances, and  especially  among  the  laboring  men,  more  immediately  affected  by  the 
Jiabitual  violation  of  the  Lord's  day.  They  felt  degraded  in  their  own  eyes. — So 
did  Sabbath  travellers.  This  was  a  great  thing.  By  degrading  a  man  in  his  own 
sight,  you  did  any  man  an  immense  injury  :  you  unmanned  him.  Men  who  rightly 
reflected  on  this  would  not  consent  to  do  it.  Dr.  E.,  on  this  subject,  stated  a  case,  in 
which  an  engineer  was  offered  very  liberal  wages  if  he  would  engage  to  take  charge 
of  a-car  which  moved  onl}'  forty  miles  on  the  Sabbath.  He  was  a  poor  man  ;  the 
offer  was  a  tempting  one  ;  and  he  hesitated  :  and  finally  told  the  proprietor  that  he 
would  think  of  it.  Like  a  prudent  man  he  v;ent  to  consult  with  his  pious  christian 
wife  on  the  matter.  He  told  her  of  the  offer  which  had  been  made  him.  "  Well,'i 
said  she,  "  I  take  it  for  granted  you  don't  expect  to  go."  See  the  implicit  confidence 
of  this  good  woman  in  her  husband,  that  he  would  not  break  God's  holy  day.  (Dr. 
E.  said,  he  Iwped  every  wife  present  would  think  as  well  of  her  husband,  and  with 
as  good  reason.)  The  husband  replied,  "  These  were  hard  times  :  he  had  no  other 
business:  and  Ire  feared  that,  if  he  refused,  the  Board  would  turn  him  out."  "Well," 
■said  his  wife,  "  I  hope  you  will  not  forget,  that  if  a  poor  man  cannot  support  his 
family  by  keeping  the  Sabbath,  he  certainly  cannot  by  breaking  it." — A  sentence  that 
was  worthy  to  be  written  in  gold,  and  which  would  be  remembered  and  admired  long 
after  the  humble  christian  that  uttered  it,  should  be  low  in  the  ground.  .  She  added, 
"  wkoever  works  against  the  commands  of  God,  works  against  the  Providence  of 
Crod.]'  Her  Ivasband  replied,  "  I  am  gladyou-think  so,  and  it  is  important  we  should 
think  alike  in  ihe  matter."  He  went  immediately  to  the  superintendent  who  had 
spoken  to  him,  and  observed  to  him  that  the  company  had  aJways  treated  him  well ; 
that  he  liked  his  place  ;  that  he  should  be  sorry  to  lose  it,  because  he  had  a  family 
who  depended  on  his  wages  for  subsistence  :  but  that  he  could  not  consent  to  run  the 
car  upon  the  Sabbath  day."  The  man  immediately  replied,  that  if  it  was  a  matter 
of  conscience  with  him,  he  should  not  press  it; — that  was  the  key  to  the  whole  case. 
If  a  poor  man  pleaded,  that  a  certain  requisition  was  against  liis  conscience,  (and  his 
conduct  did  not  contradict  his  words,)  there  was  not  an  honest  or  honorable  man  who 
would  urge  him  to  break  it.  Dr.  E.  went  into  the  same  neighborhood,  years  after, 
and  the  man  came  to  him  to  tell  how  Providence  had  blessed  him  ;  he  said  that  .he 
Jiad  received  from  other  quarters  more  money  than  the  company  had  offered  him  for 
running  on  the  Sabbath,  and  he  greatly  rejoiced  in  the  change  of  prospects  as  to  his 
<;hildren.  Dr.  E.  here  took  occasiqn  to  observe  generally,  that  if  a  man  wanted  to 
ruin  a  family  of  children,  one  of  the  readiest  and  surest  wa3'S'  of  accomplishing  the 
oliject  was,  to  set  the  parents  to  work  on  the  Sabbath.  More  thaji  four  times  the 
number  of  criminals,  the  children  of  such  parents,  were  constantly  in  our  State 
prisons,  than  of  such  as  had  been  trained  regularly  to  attend  the  house  of  God.  The 
example  set  by  christians  in  this  matter,  was  of  the  highest  importance.  A  minister 
of  the  gospel  was  once  tra,velliug  on  board  a  steam  boat,  in  Ohio,  on  the  Sabbath 
morning,  ou  his  way  to  a,ttend  a  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  asked  of  the 
captain  of  the  boat  whether  he  did  not  think  of  ceasing  to  run  bis  boat  on  the  Lord's- 
day?  He  said  that  he  intended  to  do  so.  "But  when?"  inquired  the  preacher. 
"  When  ministers  of  tiie  gospel  and  members  of  the  church  cease  to  travel  on  that 
day,"  was  the  pithy  and  cutting  reply.  Yes,  and  Dr.  E.  doubted  not  it  was  true, 
ihatnot  a  steam  boat  or  rail  car  would  move  upon  the  Sabbath  day,  if  no  good  man 
would  consent  to  travel  in  it.  '  ■ 

As  to  the  danger  from  rival  lines  of  travel,  he  wished  a  company*  who  gave  this  a«? 


22 

a  reason  why  they  did  not  stop  their  trains  on  the  Sahhath,  to  make  the  experiment. 
They  would  soon  find  travelers  inquiring  which  was  the  Sabbath  keeping  line;  for 
men  wouW  be  afraid  to  trust  themselves  with  these  who  openly  set  the  law  of  God  at 
defiance.  A  very  thorough  inquiry  had  been  set  on  foot  by  the  Parliament  of  Great 
Britain  into  the  causes  of  steamboat  explosions,  and  the  resuH  was,  that  they  arose,  in 
a  great  part,  from  the  want  of  a  practical  conviction  of  moral  responsibility  in  the 
men  who  jiad  the  manag-enient.  Sabbath-goiug  rail  roads  had  a  powerful  tendency 
to  destroy  this  sense  of  responsibility,  and  thereby  they  largely  increased  the  danger 
of  life  on  every  rail  road  in  the  country. 

Dr.  E.  related  another  case  of  peculiar  interest.  A  man  was  once  travelling  in  a 
steamboat  passing  up  tiie  Mississi|)pi ;  when  Saturday  night  came  he  asked  the  Cnjilaii^. 
whether  he  was  not  going  to  slop?  The  reply  was  very  promptly  sriven  in  the  nega- 
tive. Then,  said  the  traveler,  I  wi.sh  you  to  put  me  on  shore,  as  1  never  travel  on 
the  Sabbath  day.  The  captain  said  he  would  not  do  it :"  and  besides,"  added  he, 
"  the  Rev.  Mr.  such-a-one,  (and  Dr.  E.  said  if  he  should  give  the  name  it  would  b& 
well  known  in  Baltimore,)  did  not  stop  on  the  Sabbath  ;  he  gave  ua  a  sermon,  and  if 
you  will  go  on  you  will  hear  a  sermon  to-morrow  ,"  (for  it  seemed  in  the  judgment 
of  this  captain,  if  not  of  hjs  clerical  travelers,  that  a  sermon  was  sufRcv&nt  to  sanctify 
Sabbath  breaking.)  "  Well,"  replied  the  traveler,  "  you  have  mentioned  the  name 
of  this  man  to  induce  me  to  break  the  Sabbath  ;  I  am  determined  you  never  shall 
use  mine  so."  "  But  there  is  no  plaoe  to  land  j'ou  at  but  a  little  shanty  tavern,  and 
it  is  quite  uncertain  when  another  boat  will  take  you  off."  The  man  however  was- 
firm,  and  was  according  to  his  desire  set  on  shore.  He  found  a  small  and  very  mean 
tavern,  filled  with  a  company  of  rude  looking  men  carousing.  When  they  saw  their 
new  visiter,  and  learned  that  he  was  landed  because  he  would  not  travel  on  the  Sab- 
bath, they  said  to  each  other,  "  this  is  a  minister  :  he  stops  here  because  he  will  not 
break  the  Sabbath  ;  no  doubt  be  is  a  good  man."  How  natural  the  conclusion  !  Dr. 
E.  said  here,  that  it  was  one  capital  trait  >n  the  character  of  the  people  of  thp  West, 
that  they  respected  a  man  who  was  ready  to  act  out  his  p-rinciples,  be  they  whati 
tliey  might.  "  As  this  is  a  preacher,  what  if  we  should  have  a  meeting  here  to-mor- 
row.' dare  say  the  man  can  preach  well."  So  the  thing  was  agreed  on  ;  and  they 
forthwith  sent  runners  to  the  few  shantees  around  ;  the  people  gathered,  and  the  man,, 
(who  was,  as  they  supposed,  a  minister,)  preached  in  a  grog  shop,  and  to  a  most  atten- 
tive audience.  The  people  thanked  him,  and  expressed  much  satisfaction  at  his  com- 
plying with  their  wishes.  The  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  Dr.  E.  observed,  com- 
mended itself  to  the  human  conscience.  It  was  made  for  the  conscience,  as  liglit  was- 
created  for  man's  eye,  air  for  his  lungs,  food  for  his  hunger,  or  cold  v/ater  to  quench  his 
thirst.  The  spokesman  of  the  little  company  then  sjiid  that  they  had  often  heard  about 
temperance  lectures,  and  if  he  knew  how  to  make  a  temperance  lecture  they  should 
like  to  hear  it.  TJie  minister  consented,  and  gave  them  a  short  history  of  temperance 
reformation  in  the  United  States,  and  of  the  vast  amount  of  good  which  it  had  eflect- 
ed.  One  of  them  observed  that  "  it  would  be  a  profitai)le  thing  Ibrthem."  At  their 
request  he  drew  up  accordingly,  the  constitution  of  a  Temperance  Society.  This- 
closed  the  labors  of  the  Sabbath.  He  went  to  rest  with  an  approving  conscience ;  and 
early  on  the  next  morning  one  of  the  first  sounds  that  s;iluted  his  ears  was  the  puffing 
of  a  large  steamboat  passing  up  the  river  ;  he  was  taken  on  board,  and  before  reach- 
ing St.  Louis,  he  overtook  the  boat  he  had  left,  and  reached  his  journey's  end  as  soon, 
if  not  sooner  than  if  he  had  violated  his  conscience  and  the  Loid's  day  by  continuing 
on  board.  Dr.  E.  said  that  while  traveling  in  a  Westwn  rail  car  he  related  these  facts- 
to  the  company,  when  a  gentleman  who  was  present  observed  tliat  he  knew  the  ver^- 
man  who  kept  the  grog  shop  in  question ;  that  he  was  well  acipiainted  with  the  placo„ 
.having  himself  laid  out  tlic  town,  ajid  there  had,  to  bo  sure,  occuried   a  most  woa- 


23 

derful  clianjfe  in  the  character  of  liic  settlement.  The  man  who  formerly  sold  more 
liquor  there  llian  all  the  other  rumselicrs,  whose  father  and  brother  had  died  confirmed 
drunkards,  was  now  the  President  of  a  Temperance  Society,  and  the  use  of  liquor 
was  banisiied  from  tiie  place.     So  much  for  one  man's  resolutely  doing  his  duty. 

Interesting  addresses  were  also  made  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Hender- 
son, Bokuni  and  Powell,  of  Pa.,  and  Chas.  Parker,  Esq.,  of  N.  Y. 
'JMie  Convention  adjourned  tdl  to-morrow  9  oVilock. 

Thursday  mo!INI]s&,  9  o''clock. 

Convention  met.    Prayer  was  oCfered  by  the  Rev.  Bishop  Waugh. 
The  following  Resolutions  were  reported  from  the  Business  Com- 
mittee and  adopted  without  debate. 

VIII.  Resolved^  That  public  men  who  are  raised,  by  the  suffrages 
of  a  free  people,  to  places  of  othcial  dignity  and  power,  arc  laid 
under  peculiar  obligations  to  set  an  example  with  regard  to  the 
Lord's  day  which  shall  be  safe,  and  salutary  to  their  fellow  men, 
and  which  shall  tend  to  render  the  due  observance  of  that  day 
universal. 

IX.  Resolved^  That  as  but  six  days  in  a  week  have  been  made, 
or  given  to  men  for  secular  business,  they  have  no  right  to  take  any 
more  for  that  purpose — no  more  belong  to  them,  and  if  men  take 
more  they  take  that  which  is  not  theirs.  And  though  it  may  some- 
times promise  some  temporary  good,  it  will  not  be  likely  to  end 
well ;  for  the  Sabbatical  law  was  engraven  not  only  on  the  tables 
of  stone,  but  on  the  bodies  and  souls  of  meii,  and  is  armed  with  a 
penalty  which  no  continued  violator  of  it  can  either  annul  or  evade. 

X.  Resolved,  That  bodies  of  men,  by  being  incorporated  for  pri- 
vate or  public  objects,  have  no  more  right  to  desecrate  the  Sabbath 
than  individuals;  and  that  the  members  of  such  bodies  are  as  really 
bound  to  observe  it,  in  their  public  and  official  acts,  as  tiiey  are  in 
their  individual  and  private  transactions  among  their  fellow-men. 

XI.  Resolved,  That  we  recognize  with  peculiar  satisfaction  the 
repeated  instances  in  which  bodies  of  men  in  their  official  capacity, 
have  of  late  manifested  their  regard  for  the  Lord's  day,  and  their 
disposition  to  assist  those  whom  they  employ,  in  availing  themselves 
of  the  rest  and  the  privileges  which  that  day  was  designed  to 
affoid. 

XII.  Resolved,  That  the  Sabbath  is  peculiarly  the  friend  of  the 
laborer,  and  comes  as  an  angel  of  mercy  to  give  him  rest  from  his 
toils,  to  point  him  upwards,  and  lielp  him  to  rise  in  anticipation  of 
and  pre[)aration  for  "  that  rest,  which  remaineth  for  the  people 
of  God." 

XIII.  Resolved,  That  it  is  not  only  the  privilege,  but  the  right 
of  the  laborer  to  rest  on  the  Sabbath,  and  a  right  of  which  he  can- 
not be  deprived  without  great  evil  to  himself,  to  his  family  and  to 
his  fellow-men. 

The  fourteenth  Resolution  having  been  read  as  follows : 

XIV.  Resolved,  That,  as  it  is  proved  by  facts  that  on  the  whole 
more  labor  can  be  performed  by  working  six  days  in  a  week  and 
resting  one,  than  can  be  performed  by  working  seven,  and  that  it 
can  be  done  in  a  better  manner,  the  pecuniary  interests  of  men,  no 


24 

less  really  than  their  moral  duties,  urge  them  to  respect  that  law  of 
their  nature,  and  of  nature's  God,  which  requires  a  day  of  weekly 
rest,  and  ol"  devout  acknowledg-ment  of  him,  as  the  Maker,  Re- 
deemer and  Governor  of  the  world. 

Rev.  Mr.  Powell  said  he  would  state  one  or  two  facts,  going  to  confirm  the  doc- 
trine of  tlie  Resolution,  that  more  labor  could  be  done,  and  belter  done,  in  six  days, 
with  one  day  of  rest  supervening,  tlian  by  continual  labor  throughout  the  seven  days. 
Mr.  P.  here  related  liie  testimony  of  a  man  at  Marietta,  who  was  employed  in  miming 
a  si.\-day  boat,  (as  it  was  called,)  and  who  declared,  that  notwithstanding  his  men 
all  rested  on  the  Lord's  day,  his  boat  reached  its  destination  as  early  as  his  competi- 
tors, who  worked  all  the  week.  At  Columbus,  similar  and  even  stronger  testimony 
was  given  by  a  man,  who,  not  only  got  in  as  early,  but  actually  earlier,  than  the 
Sabbath-breaking  boats  on  the  same  line. 

Dr.  A.  Campbell  urging  brevity  : — 

Mr.  P.  observed,  tiiat  every  body  was  not  as  well  satisfied  of  the  truth  of  the  posi- 
tion taken  in  the  Resolution,  as  that  reverend  gentleman,  and  therefore  lie  would  ask 
leave  to  state  one  fact  more.  Mr.  Nye,  a  drover  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  stated,  that  he 
had  been  .engaged  in  driving  sheep  to  Baltimore  On  one  occasion  he  met  his  neigh- 
bors, who  were  similarly  employed,  returning  home  with  their  flocks  before  them, 
who  all  advised  liim  to  do  the  same,  for  if  he  went  on  he  would  lose  money  by  the 
journey  :  prices  weie  down,  and  he  could  not  sell.  Mr.  Nye,  however,  concluded  to 
proceed.  He  had  regularly  rested  on  the  way  every  "Sabbath  :  when  he  saw  the 
butchers,  they  inquired  where  he  was  from  :  and  on  being  told  he  came  from  Ohio, 
they  told  him  they  would  notbuy.  He  asked  them,  however,  to  come  and  take- a 
look  at  his  sheep,  before  they  madcup  their  minds,  which  they  accordingly  did, .and 
found  them  in  so  much  better  case  than  those  which  had  traveled,  without  resting,  all 
the  way,  that  they  offered  him  a  fair  price  ;.he  readily  sold  his  whole  flock,  and  re- 
turned home  wit-li.a  liandsome  sum  of  money  in  his  pocket. 

Dr.  Bergen  of  Philadelphia,  stated,  that  in  13-26,  he  had  been  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  hollow  glass  ware.  At  that  time  it  was  the  custom  of  all  tlic  glass  houses, 
to  continue  blowing  every  day  of  the  week,  and  this  labor  continued  witliout  cessa- 
tion for  ten  months  of  the  year.  The  men  were  over-Worked,  and  the  efiect  upon 
them  was  decisively  injurious  to  thcir.mora1s  ;  yet  it  was  decined  a  case  of  nece.ssit}'. 
But  being  deej)ly  impressed  with  tlie  immorality  of  the  practice,  he  had  an.xiously 
sougiit  to  devise  a  remedy  ;  and  at  lengtli  discovered,  that  by  a  change  in  the  process, 
the  necessity  of  going  on  upon  tlie  Sabbath  could,  without  injury  and  witli  great 
case,- be  avoided.  He  explained  tliis  to  tlie  men,  and  suggested  tlie' expediency  of 
resting  on  the  Sabbath  day.  At  first  they  were  opposed  to  it,  apprehending  a  dimi- 
nution of  their  wages.  The  question  was  put  to  the  vote,  and  there  was  a  tie.  To 
meet  this  pecuniary  objection,  Mf.  B.  proposed  to  tlftm  a  short  trial  of  tlie  new  plan  ; 
they  consented,  and  the  result  proved  that  they  could  do  as  much  work,  and  realize 
as  much  wages  by  resting  on  one  day  in  the  week,  as  by  the  former  practice.  All  be- 
ing fully  satisfied  of  this,  all  work  was  thenceforward  suspended  on  the  Sabbath  day. 
Experience  proved  tliat  tiie  human  fiame  was'so  constructed  by  its  Maker,  that  tlie 
refresliraent  of  sleep  did  not  (if  itself  so  compensate  the  effect  of  labor,  as  to  dispense 
witii  an  additional  rest,  fully  to  restore  the  exhaustion  of  the  frame.  There,  wasj 
lliercforc,  both  wisdom  and  benevolence  in  superadding  the  rest  of  tlin  Subiiath  day  : 
and  tills  explained  tlic  reason  why  brutes,  as  well  as  men,  were  included  in  the 
requirement.  Tiic  experiment  of  some  months  on  the  new  plan  ascertained,  not  only 
that  the  men  could  earn  as  much  l)y  keeping  the  Sabbath  as  by  violating  it,  but 
twenty  per  ccnt.'morc.    Tiiis  bcjng  made  known,  other  glass-works  came  into  the  plan, 


25 

and  they  found,  on  trial,  that  the  necessity  of  unintermitted  labor,  in  order  to  caiiy 
on  their  business,  was  wholly  imaginary.  There  was  no  such  necessity.  The  furnace 
could  be  kept  up  by  a  single  hand,  and  he  was  relieved  by  another,  during  half  of  the 
twenty-four  hours.  The  moral  results  were  great.  Glass  blowers  were  usually 
first  entered  while  small  boys,  and  were  called  "tenders."  From  that  age  up  to 
manhood,  and  so  long  as  they  continued  to  work,  they  knew,  not  the  blessing,  either 
of  education  or  of  the  Sabbath  day  :  hence  it  was  found,  that  very  few  of  the  hands 
employed  could  either  read  or  write.  This  led  to  the  opening  of  a  Sabbath  school 
attached  to  the  works,  and  they  all  soon  became  scholars.  This  led  to  another,  and 
a  still  more  important  result  :  the  men  volunteered  to  put  in  complete  repair  an  old 
building,  wliich  tiiey  converted  into  a  place  of  worship  and  a  Sal)bath  school,  and 
thus,  while  their  extra  earnings  enabled  them  to  appear  in  decent  clothing,  they  all 
became  regular  worshippers  at  church,  and  in  process  of  time,  many  of  tlicm  put  up 
humble,  but  comfortable  cottages  of  their  own.  As  for  the  proprietors,  the  saving  of 
fuel  alone,  which  resulted  from  suspending  work  on  the  Sabbath,  proved  to  them  an 
ample  compensation  for  what  might  be  considered  by  some,  as  a  sacrifice.  But  their 
best  and  noblest  recompense  was,  the  beholding  of  the  great  and  happy  change  which 
had  passed  on  the  condition  and  character  of  ci  large  body  of  their  fellow  creatures, 
dependent  upon  them  for  daily  bread.  Before,  their  working  hands  had  been  the 
worst  of  slaves,' now,  they  were  among  the  happiest  and  most  contented  of  free- 
men. He  wished  that  every  glass  establishment  throughout  the  country  would  follow 
the  example :  avarice  alone  could  induce  any  proprietors  to  insist  on  working  their 
hands  without  intermission  :  but  in  this  case, 'avarice,  if  it  continued  thus  to  insist, 
would  defeat  its  own  aim  and  insure  its  own  punishment. 

The  question  being  now  put,  the  14th  Resolution  was  adoJDted. 

The  15th  Resolution  was  read  and  adopted. 

XV:  .  Resolved,.  That  as  the  dissemination  of  a  knowledge  of 
principles  and  facts,  with  regard  to  the  Sabbath,  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  means  of  securing  its  observance,  it  is  recommended  to 
all  to  supply  themselves  with  interesting  publications  on  this  sub- 
ject, and  to  circulate  them  in  all  suitable  ways,  as  extensively  as 
possible. 

The  16th,  17tb,  18th  and  19th  Resolutions  were  read,  and 
adopted  without  debate. 

XVI.  Resolved,  That  should  every  family  obtain  some  good 
Sabbath  ISIanual,  that  all  the  children  and  youth  may  understand 
the  object  of  the  divine  Being  in.  the  appointment  of  the  Sabbath, 
and  the  leasons  why  all  should  observe  it,  they  would,  it  is- believed, 
greatly  "promote,  not  only  their  own  interest,  but  all  the  great  inter- 
ests of  mankind. 

XVII.  Resolved,  That  the  efforts  that  are  made  by  ship  owners, 
merchants  and  others,  to  give  the  rest  and  privileges  of  the  Lord's 
day  to  seamen,  must  tend  to  elevate  their  character,  increase  their 
usefulness,  and  promote  the  good  of  all. 

XVin.  Resolved,  That  the  connection  between  the  desecration 
of  the  Sabhath,  and  the  use,  as  a  beverage,  of  intoxicating  liquors, 
and  the  traffic  in  them  for  that  purpose,  and  the  aid  which  each 
affords  in  the  promotion  of  the  other,  should  lead  the  friends  of 
temperance,  as  well  as  of  the  Sabbath,  to- persevere  in  judicious 
eflbrts  to  cause  each  of  these  evils  to  be  done  away. 


2G 

XIX.  Resolved^  T)iat  in  the  following  sentiments,  expressed  by 
the  New  York  State  Sabbath  Convention,  to  the  Directors  of  rail 
roads  who  run  their  cars  on  the  Sabbatii  da\-,  we  cordially  concur, 
and  commend  them  to  the  consideration  of  all  such  persons  throuu,h- 
out  the  United  States  : 

To  the  Dircrlors  of  Rail  Rnaih. 

Gentlemen : — The  position  which  you  oocuj)/  gives  you  peculiar 
facilities  for  exerting  great  and  extensive  influence  among  men.  All 
classes,  and  especially  the  young,  must  be  deejdy  affected  by  the  course 
which  you  take  with  regard  to  the  running  of  ears  on  the  Sabbath.  It 
is  on  this  account  that  we  take  the  liberty  to  address  you,  and  respect- 
fully request  your  atlention  to  a  ^gw  considerations  with  regard  to  diis 
subject. 

In  a  free  country,  where  all  classes  of  citizens  enjoy  the  blessings  of 
social,  civil  and  religious  liberty  ;  where  no  standing  armies  support  the 
government  or  give  efficacy  to  law,  it  is  of  the  highest  importance  that 
moral  principle  shoula  be  universal,  and  its  salutary  influences  be  felt  by 
ail  classes  of  people.  In  order  to  this,  they  must  understand  and  re- 
spect the  laws  of  God,  especially  with  regard  to  those  great  funtlamen- 
tal  institutions  which  were  "  ??zf«/e  ybr /non,"  and  the  observance  of 
which  is  essential  to  the  welfare  of  civil  society.  One  of  these  institu- 
tions is  that  of  the  Sabbath. 

This  institution,  established  at  the  creation,  was  designed  to  keep  alive 
the  knowledge  and  worship  of  Jehovah,  and  thus  to  give  efficacy  to  his 
moral  government  among  men.  Withoiit  this,  that  knowledge  and  vir- 
tue which  are  essential  to  the  purity  and  permanence  of  free  institutions 
cannot  exist.  And  whether  we,  as  a  people,  shall  be  successful  in  per- 
petuating our  institutions,  will  depend,  in  no  small  degree,  upon  the 
fact,  whether  we  shall  or  shall  not  regard  the  Christian  Sabbatii.  And 
this  will  be  deeply  affected  by  the  course  which  shall  be  pursued,  with 
regard  to  the  running  of  rail-cars  and  other  public  vehicles  on  that 
day. 

The  fathers  of  our  country,  wdio  were  honored  as  the  instruments  of 
establishingour  institutions,  were  men  who  love  J  the  Sabbath,  and  who 
regarded  its  observance  as  one  of  the  btdwarks  of  national  freedom. 
And  to  this  we  owe  no  small  part  of  the  blessings  which  we  enjciy.  And 
since  those,  through  whose  sacrifices  and  labors  we  have  received  them, 
liave  gone  to  tbeir  rest,  patriotism,  no  less  than  piety,  requires  tiiat  we 
should,  iti  thia,  imitate  their  example. 

Among  the  reasons  whv  tlie  running  of  rail  cars,  as  well  as  odier 
kinds  of  secular  business  should  be  confined  to  six  days,  are  die  follow- 
ing, viz. : 

I.  It  is  manifestly  die  will  of  God,  that  all  men  should  observe  the 
Sabbath.     And  as  they  are  dependent  on  him  for  the   blessings  which 


27 

llicv  enjoy,  ihe'w  inleresf,  as  well  r.s  their  tluty,  require?  that  they  shouIJ 
doll. 

II.  As  but  six  clays  in  the  week  have  been  made  for  secular  business, 
ami  no  more  have  ever  been  given  to  men  for  dual  purpose,  diey  have 
no  right  to  any  more.  Only  six  days  belong  to  men  for  secular  busi- 
ness, and  to  take  more  for  that  purpose  is  not  honest. 

III.  To  employ  seven  days  in  a  week  in  secular  business  is  a  viola- 
tion, not  only  of  a  law  whicli  was  written  by  Jehovah  on  a  table  of 
stone,  but  of  a  law  which  he  has  impressed  upon  the  ncilnre  of  both 
man  and  beast.  That  law  requires,  that  those  that  have  been  employed 
six  days  in  a  week  should  rest  on  the  seventh  :  if  they  do  not,  they 
impair  their  health,  diminish  their  strength,  and  shorten  their  lives, 

IV.  Men  who  labor  seven  days  in  a  week,  are  more  reckless  of  pro- 
perty, character  and  life,  tiian  those  who  labor  but  six,  and  enjoy  the 
rest  and  privileges  of  the  Sabbath.  They  are  more  exposed  to  disas- 
ters and  crimes.  The  consequence  is,  travellers  are  more  exposed  to 
the  loss  of  j)roperty  and  life  on  Sabbath-breaking  rail  roads,  than  they 
need  be  ;  and  more  exposed  than  they  would  be,  should  the  running 
be  confined  to  six  days,  and  all  concerned  be  permitted  to  enjoy  the  rest 
and  privileges  of  the  Sabbath. 

V.  The  running  of  the  cars  on  the  Sabbath  is  a  violation  of  the  rights 
of  the  people.  They  have  a  right  not  only  to  keep  the  Sabbath,  but  to 
be  undisturbed  by  others.  The  running  of  the  cars  through  villages, 
and  by  places  of  public  worship,  and  often  in  time  of  service,  is  a  gross 
violation  of  the  rights  of  the  citizens  to  the  stillness  and  quiet  of  that 
day. 

VI.  The  running  of  the  cars  on  the  Sabbath  is  wholly  unnecessary. 
All  the  secular  business  which  it  is  needful  or  proper,  for  men  to  per- 
form,.can  be  accomplished  in  six  days.  And  there  is  no  good  reason 
■why  the  cars  should  run  on  the  Sabbath.  On  more  than  700  miles  of 
our  rail  roads,  they  are  confined  to  six  days  in  the  week.  Many  of 
them  are  among  the  greatest  thoroughfares,  on  which  the  most  business 
is  done,  and,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  add,  are  among  the  most  profita- 
ble in  the  country.  And  on  some,  which  have  continued  to  desecrate  the 
Sabbath,  it  manifestly  woidd  have  been  more  profitable,  in  a  pecuniary 
point  of  view,  if  they  had  not  done  it. 

On  one  of  the  Slate  roads  in  a  neighboring  State,  they  carried  on  the 
Sabbath,  upon  an  average,  56^  passengers  during  the  season.  To  this 
they  employed  68  men,  18  horses,  and  14  steam  engines  ;  and  at  an 
expense  to  the  State,  of  $3,613,75  ;  being  $1,477,00  more  than  the  in- 
come ;  and  when  all  the  income  would  have  been  obtained  during  the 
week,  had  they  not  run  on  the  Sabbath,  and  thus  $3,613,75  saved  to  the 
State;  a  sum  sutKrient  to  pay  the  annual  interest  on  $72,000  of  the 
State  debt. 


28 

VII.  By  running  the  cars  on  the  Sabbath,  you  tempt  others  to  dese- 
crate that  (hiy,  and  aid  and  alict  them  in  doing  it. — This  excr;s  a  highly 
deleterious  influence,  especially  upon  the  young,  ahd  in  numerous  ways 
is  detrimental  to  all  the  great  interests  of  our  country. 

You  also  deprive  those  whom  you  em[)loy  of  the  rest  and  the  privi- 
leges of  the  holy  Sabbath.  You  prevent  their  attendance  on  tlie  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel,  and  other  means  of  grace  which  God  has  provided  ; 
and  thus  exert  an  influence  which  tends  to  prevent  their  preparation  for 
heaven. 

VIII.  Increasing  numbers  of  all  classes,  who,  in  the  light  of  princi- 
ples and  facts,  examine  this  subject,  are  becoming  increasingly  desirous 
that  the  running  of  the  cars  on  the  Sabbath  should  cease.  And  we  can- 
not but  hope,  that  you,  gentlemen,  at  no  distant  lime,  will  come  to  the 
conclusion,  that  the  highest  interests  of  all  will  be  promoted  by  throw- 
ing the  whole  weight  of  your  influence  on  the  side  of  Sabbath  obser- 
vance ;  and  that,  by  so  doing,  you  may  become  eminently  benefactors 
of  our  country  and  the  world. 

Do  you  say,  "we  are  common  carriers;  and,  as  some  men.  wish  to 
travel  on  the  Sabbath,  we  must  run  our  cars  to  accommodate  them?". 
Why  must  you  run  your  cars  to  accommodate  them  ?     Do  the  laws  of 
God,  or  the  laws  of  the  State,  require  it?     No,  they  both  forbid  it. 
Why  then  must  )-ou  do  it? 

Suppose  the  same  men  should  wish  to  violate  the  laws  human  and 
Divine,  in  other  ways,  would  you  be  obliged,  because  you  are  common 
carriers,  to  aid  and  abet  them  in  doing  it?  Does  not  the  fact  that  men 
are  placed  in  public  stations,  and  are  thus  cliarged  with  special  respon- 
sibilities, lay  them  under  special  obligations  to  exert  the  iniluence 
which  that  gives  them,  npt  for  the  injury  but  for  the  benefit  of  them^ 
selves  and  tlieir  children.  "Train  up- a  child,"  saith  infinite  wisdom, 
"in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from 
it."  In  scarcely  anything  is  tliis  more  true. or  important,  than  with  re- 
gjird  to  the  Christian  Sabbath.  The  history  of  the  last  thirty  years 
gives  abundant  evidence,  that  for  parents  to  continue,  by  business,  open- 
ly to  desecrate  the  Sabbath,  exerts  a  highly  deleterious  influence  on  their 
cliildren.  Facts  speak  on  this  subject  as  with  a  voice-of  thunder,  and 
eclio  the  dc(;laration,  "  Six  days  sliall  thou  labor  and  do  all  thy  work  ; 
but  remember  the  Sabbath  day.  and  keep  it  holy.  In  it  thou  shalt  not  do 
any  work  ;  thou  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  nor  tliy  man  servant, 
nor-lhy  maid  servant,  nor  thy  cattle.?'  Men  who  have  continued  open- 
ly to  violate  the  Sabbath  by  ihe  prosecution  of  worldly  business  on  that 
day,  have  in  so  many  cases  been  visited  in  their  persons,  estates  or  fami- 
lies with  calamities,  that  all  benevolent  minds  must  desire  that  none 
should  follow  tlieir  example  lest  they  should  be  partakers  of  their 
plagues. 


29 

On  the  other  hand,  those  who,  while  diligent  in  business  during  the 
six  days,  have  conscienlioiisly  and  regularly  kept  the  Sabbath,  and  gone 
with  their  children  to  the  house  of  God,  have  in  so  many  cases  been 
visited  with  blessings,  which  have  gone  down  to  their  children  and  chil- 
dren's children,  that  all  benevolent  minds  must  desire  that  such  blessings 
may  become  universal. 

Rev.  Dr.  Edwards  now  read  tlie  draft  of  an  address  in  the  name 
of  the  Convention  to  Canal  Commissioners  throughout  the  Union. 

In  reporting  this  document  the  Rev.  gentleman  accompanied  it 
with  some  statements  in  reference  to  tlie  suppression  by  the  Post- 
master General  of  a  number  of  small  mail  routes,  on  which  the 
Department  had  allowed  in  some  cases  a  third  and  in  others  as 
much  as  half  of  the  whole  amount  allowed  the  contractors,  simply 
for  carrying  the  mail  upon  the  Sabbath.  By  this  operation  '^60,000 
a  year  had  been  saved  to  the  Government.  It  was  not  (he  was 
authorized  to  say)  the  personal  wish  of  the  gentleman  now  at  the 
head  of  this  Department  that  the  mail  should  be  transmitted  on 
Sabbath  on  any  route :  he  was  governed  in  this  matter  by  the  ex- 
pression of  public  opinion:  and  whenever  the  people  signitied  such 
to  be  their  will,  he  was  ready  to  carry  it  into  immediate  effect.  It 
was  a  fact  well  worthy  of  remark  in  this  connexion  that  aganist  the 
act  of  the  government  in  this  suppression  not  a  human  being  had 
opened  his  mouth.  It  met  with  universal  acquiescence  and  at  least 
tacit  approval.  (It  ought  to  be  understood  that  there  existed  no  law 
requiring  the  mail  to  be  carried  on  the  Sabbath  :  it  was  merely  a 
regulation  of  the  Department.) 

To  Canal  Commissioners  and  others  who  are  instnimental  in  opening 
the  locks,  and   performing  other  ojficial  or  secular  business  on 
Canals,  on  the  Lord's  day. 
Gentlemen  : 

Among  the  numerous  manifestations  of  wisdom  and  goodness,  which 
the  Divine  Being  has  made,  to  the  human  family,  is  his  arrano-ement, 
after  six  days  of  labor  and  attention  to  secular  concerns,  for  one  day  of 
rest,  and  of  special  devotion  to  the  worship  of  God  and  the  promotion 
of  the  spiritual  good  of  men.  And  so  important  in  his  own  estimation 
was  this  arrangement,  that  he  evidently  Iiad  his  eye  upon  it  in  the 
creation  of  the  world  and  in  the  Sabbath  which  he  observed  at  the  close 
of  that  work,  when  the  morning  stars  sang  together  and  all  the  sons  of 
God  shouted  for  joy.  Tliis  arrangement  was  evidently  "  made  for 
man,"  and  an  intelligent  and  conscientious  regard  to  it,  has  in  all  ao-es 
been  found  to  be  essential  to  his  highest  good.  The  rest  which  it  con- 
templates is  required  by  his  physical  system;  and  the  moral  influence 
which  it  imparts  is  no  less  needful  to  the  health  of  his  soul.  These 
truths,  revealed  with  great  clearness  in  the  scriptures,  and  abundantly 
illustrated  in  the  course  of  divine  Providence,  are  receiving  extensively 


30 

incrnasing  altenlion,  and  a  consideration  of  their  high  importance  is  ex- 
tending in  various  parts  of  our  country.    The  consequence  is,  a  decrease, 
in  many  places,  of  the  number  who  engage  in  secular  business  or  travel- 
ing for  amusement  on  the  Sabbath,  and  an  increase  of  those  wiio  enjoy 
the  privileges  and  engage  in  the  appropriate  duties  of  tliat  day.     Ves- 
sels and  steamboats  less  frequently  leave  the  harbor.    The  number  who 
go  to  the  post  office  on  the  Sabbath  is  diminishing.     On  more  than  a 
thousand  miles  of  rail  road  the  cars  do  not  run  on  the  Sabbatli.     In 
many  cases  the  mails  are  not  transported,  and  the  locks  on  canals  are 
not  opened.     And   in  various  kinds  of  business,  in  which   it  has  been 
contended  that  it  was  necessary  to  desecrate  the  Sabbath,  it  has  been 
found  by  experiment  that  sucli  business  can  be  carried  on  to  even  better 
advantage  by  being  confined   to  six  days  in  a  v;eek.     Anil  we  have  a 
settled  and  strong  conviction,  that  if  this  should  be  the  case  with  all 
kinds  of  business,  the  highest  aiid  best  interests  of  all  concerned  would 
be  promoted.    Nor  do  we  see  any  good  reasons  why  this  should  not  be 
the  case;  nor  why  the  by.siness  on  our  canals  should  be,  as  it  sometimes 
hasbecn,  an  exception.  Tiiat  large  and  interesting  class  of  our  fellow  citi- 
zens, who  are  called  to  labor  on  our  inland  waters,  need,  physically  and 
morally,  as  much  as  others,  the  rest  and  the  privileges  of  the  Sabbath; 
they  have  an  equal  interest  in  them  and  an  equal  right  to  enjoy  them. 
Many  of  them  ardently  desire  to  enjoy  these  blessings,  and  in  one  State 
more  than  1,200  captains  of  canal  boats  united  in  a  petition  to  the  Caual 
Commissioners  not  to  open  the  locks,  or  require  their  agent  to  perform 
official  business  on  that  day.     This  wosild  prevent  owners  of  boats  and 
goods  from  urging  those  who  are  employed  to  desecrate  the  Sabbath, 
and  would  greatly  lessen  their  temptation  to  do  it.     It  would  remove 
llie  official  sanction  which  by  the  opening  of  the  locks  is  given  to  that 
vice,  and  relieve  the  public  agents  from  the  guilt  of  aiding  and  abetting 
in  promoting  it.     The  consequence  would  be,  as  it  has  been  on  those 
canals,  where  the  experiment  has  been  tried,  the  health  and  the  char- 
acter o(  those  employed  would  be  improved.    Business  would  be  trans- 
acted with  greater  facility.     Nor  would  the  amount  on  the  whole  be 
diminished.     The  Caual  Committee,  composed  of  distinguislied  Sena- 
tors, to  whom  the  petition  above  referred  to  was  committed  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  after  long  and  careful  consideration  of  the  whole  subject, 
say  in  their  report,  the  boatmen  who  send  up  their  petitions   express 
llicir  lirm  conviction   tliat  as  much  merchandise  and  produce  could  be 
transj)orled  on  the  canals  during  the  season  of  navigation,  with  the  ob- 
servance of  the  Sabbath,  as  there  can  be  by  violating  that  day.     There 
can  be  no  doubt,  that  the  boatmen  take  a  correct  view  of  the  subject. 
Other  things  being  equal,  the  Committee  believe,  that  both  man  and 
beast  can  perform,  more  labor,  by  resting  one  day  in  seven,  than  by  con- 
Btant  employment  every  day  in  the  week. 


31 

"  Tlie  Sabbath  was  emphatically  '  made  for  man  ;'  and,  when  viewed 
in  the  light  of  poUlical  economy,  can  never  be  sufficiently  prized. 

"It  is  admitted  by  all,  that  inteliii/ence  and  virtue  constitute  the  only 
sure  foundation  of  republican  institutions.  If  the  people  are  intellitrent 
and  virtuous,  the  institutions  of  our  country  arc  safe.  It  is  believed, 
that  the  Sabbath  duly  observed,  in  the  repeated  instructions  which  it 
brings  to  the  population  of  a  nation — in  its  calling  the  attention  of  all 
to  the  duty  they  owe  to  their  Creator,  in  reminding  them  of  their  ac- 
countability beyond  the  grave,  and  thus  maintaining  and  invigorating 
the  conscience,  lies  at  the  foundation  of  our  national  happiness  and 
prosperity. 

"  It  is  a  well-known  fact,  in  the  history  of  the  vicious  and  depraved, 
that  the  violation  of  the  Sabbath  is  generally  the  first  step  in  the  series 
of  wickedness  and  crime,  wliich  led  them  to  their  final  ruin.  Nor  is 
there  any  thing  mj'S'.erious  in  the  blighting  influence  of  Sabbath  dese- 
cration on  the  human  character.  Tlie  want  of  that  moral  and  religious 
culture  which  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  secures,  the  voice  of  con- 
science hushed  by  its  repeated  violations,  leaves  the  unltappy  individual 
without  any  saving  moral  principle  to  warn  or  protect  him,  and,  like  a 
vessel  without  a  rudder,  upon  the  stormy  ocean,  h.e  is  sure  to  wreck  his 
happiness  and  his  character, 

"Of  1232  convicts,  admitted  to  the  Auburn  State  Prison,  previously 
to  1838,  447  had  been  watermen:  and  of  the  whole  number,  1232 
only  26  had  been  in  the  habit  of  keeping  the  Sabbath. 

"  Of  1450,  admitted  to  the  prison  previously  to  the  year  1839,  563 
had  been  watermen,  and  27  only  had  kept  the  Salibath. 

"Of  1053,  admitted  to  the  prison  previously  to  the  year  184(),  G60 
had  been  watermen  ;  and  of  203  admitted  to  the  prison  in  one  year,  97 
had  been  watermen,  and  only  2  had  kept  the  Sabbath. 

"One  way  to  promote  the  religious  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  is  for 
the  canal  officers,  and  all  who'  employ  others  to  do  business  on  the 
canals,  to  suspend  tiieir  secular  business,  and  religiou:^ly  observe  the 
day  themselves.  liOt  the  distinguished  classes  of  society  set  an  exam- 
ple of  keeping  the  Sabbath,  and  others  may  be  expected  to  follow.  And 
let  employers,  in  no  case,  unnecessarily  deprive  those  whom  they  em- 
ploy of  the  rest  and  privileges  which  God  has  provided  for  them,  and 
the  enjoyment  of  which  would  promote  the  mutual  good  of  all. 

"  The  State  officers  violate  the  laws  of  the  State,  in  opening  the  locks 
and  transacting  public  business  on  Sunday,  and  the  Committee  believe 
that  the  interests  of  the  State,  or  the  prosperity  of  individuals,  can  never 
be  advanced  by  the  violation  of  human  or  divine  laws. 

"  The  policy,  which  seeks  to  gain  by  the  violation  of  laws,  tvhich 
infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  have  established,  is  selfish,  short-sight- 
ed, and  defeats-its  own  end.'''' 


32 

Such  are  the  seiilunents  expressed  by  distinguished  Senators  after 
careful  inquiry  and  patient  investigation,  and  who  had  a  good  oppor- 
tunity to  Ijccome  acquainted  with  the  facts  connected  with  the  desecra- 
tion of  the  Saljbath  by  the  opening  of  locks  and  tlie  performance  of 
official  and  secular  business  on  canals. 

And  we  have  no  doubt  that  they  are  equally  in  accordance  with  sound 
philosophy  and  correct  political  economy,  as  they  are  witli  good  morals 
and  true  religion. 

And  we  would  most  respectfully  and  earnestly  commend  them  to  the 
careful  perusal  and  profound  consideration  of  all  who  are  thus  concerned 
in  opposition  to  laws  human  and  divine  in  such  violations  of  the  Lord's 
day.  And  we  cannot  but  hope  that  the  time  may  soon  come  when  their 
own  experience  shall  unite  with  the  experience  of  increasing  numbers 
in  all  departments,  in  testifying  that  the  Sabbath  was  indeed  made  for 
man,  and  that  in  the  keeping  of  it  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  the 
Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  and  of  those  lavvs  natural  and  moral  which  he  has 
established,  there  is  truly  great  reward. 

The  address  having  been  read,  it  was  adopted. 

Letters  were  then  introduced  and  read  from  Rev.  Dr.  Green,  of 
Philadelphia,  Rev.  W.  H.  Barnwell,  and  others: — See  Jlppendix. 

William  Geo.  Baker,  Esq.,  of  Baltimore,  was  appointed  an  ad- 
ditional Secretary,  to  aid  in  furnishing  certificates  of  attendance  to 
delegates. 

J.  M.  Atwood,  Esq.,  from  the  Standing  Committee,  reported  an 
address  to  the  people  of  the  United  States : 

THE  NATIONAL  LORD'S  DAY  CONVENTION  TO  THE 
PEOPLE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

The  Convention  of  delegates  assembled  in  Baltimore  from- various 
parts  of  the  Union,  to  consult  on  the  means  of  promoting  a  more  gen- 
eral observance  of  the  Christian  Sabbath,  Avould  respectfully  solicit  the 
attention  of  their  fellow-citizens  to  the  subject  of  their  deliberations. 
Were  an  apology  necessary  for  an  appeal  so  wide  as  this  address  con- 
templates, it  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the  object  concerns  all — whether 
they  dwell  in  the  crowded  city  or  the  scattered  hamlet;  in  the  palaces 
of  the  rich  or  the  cottages  of  the  poor.  They  believe  that  the  results 
of  the  decision  wliich  the  nation  shall  maturely  form  as  to  the  claims  of 
this  institution  will  reach  far  onward  in  its  liistory,  and  that  we  are 
dealing  widi  the  elements  of  the  future  weal  or  woe  of  the  hundreds  of 
millions  who  arc  to  iidial)it  this  land  when  we  and  ours  will  be  re- 
membered only  by  the  healthful  or  baneful  influences  we  have  exerted 
upon  this  forming  period  of  our  career. 

That  our  moans  of  safety  arc  as  pocidiar  as  our  perils,  is  an  admitted 
truism.     Wc  have  parted  with  many  of  the  prescriptive  safeguards  of 


33 

clher  countries.  The  popular  ignorance,  upon  which  the  monarchies 
of  the  old  world  have  so  greatly  relied  for  safety,  we  deprecate  as  our 
danger.  The  elevation  of  the  masses  in  intelligence,  which  they  fear, 
js  our  hope.  They  are  building  citadels  of  defence  from  their  own  peo- 
ple. We  are  seeking  to  awaken  in  ours  a  higher  and  higher  estimate  of 
their  power  and  their  rights.  Their  restraints  from  violence  are  chiefly 
external  force.  Ours  are  the  love  of  order,  the  sense  of  justice,  the 
power  of  conscience  and  the  fear  of  God.  Such  are  our  trusts:  if  they 
fail  us,  all  is  lost.     Our  mistake  is  fatal,  and  there  is  no  remedy. 

It  is  with  reference  to  considerations  like  these  that  we  desire  to  fix 
the  attention  of  our  fellow-citizens  upon  the  Sabbath,  as  a  moral  safe- 
guard tendered  to  us  by  our  beneficent  Creator  for  just  such  exigencies 
as  ours  ;  and,  as  nations  are  what  individuals  are,  tendered  to  us  as  a  na- 
tion, to  each  of  us  as  individuals,  with  all  its  blessed  influences  upon 
the  life  that  is,  and  the  never-ending  life  to  come.  Were  it  a  human 
device,  we  might  well  fear  lest  evil  should  be  miiigled  with  its  good, 
and  could  justly  question  its  claims  upon  our  unlimited  confidence. 
But  it  is  a  law  of  God — coeval  with  creation.  It  is  one  of  the  selected 
few,  tlie  Ten  Commandments,  that  brief  but  comprehensive  expression 
of  His  will.  Among  these  it  stands;  and  we  may  not  say  that  it  is 
secondary  in  importance  or  obligation  to  any.  For  aught  we  know,  it 
may  be  the  very  keystone  of  the  arch. 

This  siioukl  be  enowgli.  There  is  no  higher  aanctionour  reason  can 
ask  or  conceive. 

But  were  tliere  no  such  revelation,  and  were  we  compelled  to  trace 
back  from  efl'ects  to  causes,  so  manifold  are  the  Sabbatli's  blessings,  so 
complete  its  adaptation  to  our  physical,  social,  and  moral  necessities,  we 
could  not  fail  to  refer  its  origin  to  Him  who  made  man,  and  who  knew 
his  wants  as  his  Creator  alone  could  know  them.  That  it  was  made 
for  man,  a?  man,  is  proved  by  all  its  bearings  upon  all  his  wants. 

As  a  period  of  rest,  after  six  days  continuous  toil,  it  is  indispensable 
to  the  laborer.  Without  this  gracious  interval,  his  health  and  vigor 
prematurely  decay  as  certainly,  although  not  as  speedily,  as  if  debarred 
from  the  refreshment  of  sleep  ;  and  health  and  vigor  are  the  poor  man's 
capital.  The  statistics,  now  so  greatly  accumulated  that  we  cease  to 
gather  them,  showing  the  fearful  waste  of  life  in  those  employments 
w^hich  know  no  such  suspension,  are  full  of  warning  and  instruction. 
Sad  indeed  is  the  lot  of  the  lal)orer  without  this  jubilee  of  the  week  to 
recruit  his  exhausted  energies  ;  when  he  may  wipe  the  sweat  from  his 
brow  and  lift  up  his  body  and  lift  up  his  spirit,  alike  bowed  down  by 
daily  toil. 

Nor  is  this  interval  of  repose,  as  a   law  of  our  physical  nature,  less 
necessary  to  intellectual  occupations.     'I'he  mind  must  be  statedly   un- 
laden of  its  cares,  as  the  body  of  its  burdens,  or  a  similar  penalty  must 
3 


34 

be  endured.  Tiie  ordinary  effects  of  systeinatii*.  violations  of  the  Lord^'s 
day,  by  men  of  business  or  professional  men,  are  less  clearness  of  per- 
ception and  power  of  discrimination,  and  less  soundness  of  judgment, 
and,  generally,  a  diminution  of  intellectual  vigor;  often  followed  by  a 
sudden  breaking  down  of  the  over-tasked  mental  faculties;  in  other  in- 
stances the  result  is  lunacy  or  self-murder.  In  short,  moral  and  reli- 
gious considerations  a[)art,  nothing  is  gained  by  a  violation  of  the  divine 
command— a  truth  often  learned  too  late.  If  a  man  would  make  the 
most  of  himself  in  alliespects,  lie  will  do  well  to  remember  the  Sabbath 
day  to  keep  it  holy. 

But  the  demands  of  our  moral  and  social  nature  for  the  blessings  of 
a  sanctified  Sabbath,  are  still  more  imperative,  and  take  hold  of  higher 
rtsults.  We  cannot  di&pense  with  this  pause  from  the  pursuit  of  plea- 
siire,  gain  or  distinction  ;  we  need  it  to  moderate  our  passions,  to  chasten 
our  desires,  to  purify  our  motives,  to  elevate  our  aims,  and  to  seek  the 
salvation  of  our  souls.  It  is  here  the  Sal)bath  chiefly  discloses  the  di- 
vinity of  its  origin  and  the  benevolence  of  its  purpose.  It  speaks  in 
God's  nam.e  to  the  tide  of  worldliness — "  thus  far  shalt  thou  come,  but  no 
farther;"  it  communes  with  man  of  eternal  retributions — points  his 
burdened  conscience  to  the  only  Saviour,  and  to  that  heaven  whose  end- 
less felicity  none  shall  know  but  the  pure  in  heart  and  the  pure  in. life. 
In  its  legitimate  observance,  it  is  a  season  of  hushed  passions  and  of 
tranquil  enjoyment,  disposing  the  heart  to  kindness  and  good  will, — a 
season  for  the  affectionate  instruction  of  the  young  in  their  duties  to 
God' and  tlieir  fellow  beings — for  the  privileges  of  private  and  social' 
worship — attendance  upon  the  instructions  of  an  intelligent  Cliristian 
ministry,  and  of  devoutly  reading  the  inspired  words  of  truth  and  love 
in  the  holy  volume.  The  subjects  of  thought  and  conversation  are  pure 
and  elevating  in  their  nature;  and  it  would  be  strange,  indeed,  if  the 
Sabbath  sun,  as  it  sets  upon  a  family  or  comnniniiy  who  thus  had  hal- 
lowed its  hours  of  light,  did  not  leave  il.em  happier,  wiser  and  Letter 
tlian  when  he  rose.  Can  any  doubt  the  effects  of  a  day  ihus  spent  on 
mental  and  mora]  character,  or  the  power  of  that  restraint  which  it 
ilcows  over  the  conduct  ?  Nearly  three  entire  years,  or  one  seventh  of 
the  life  of  everv  young  man,  who  leaves  his  home  on  reaching  the  age 
of  manhood,  will  have  been  spent  under  such  influences.  These  are 
not  tlio  families,  nor  these  ihc  individuals,  who  are  nuisances  to  society. 
It  is  not  he  who  fears  God,  and  keeps  his  Sabbath,  that  robs  his  neigh- 
bor or  murders  him  ;  nor  is  his  place  rmong  the  debased  of  his  species 
in  any  respect,  or  any  where — least  of  all  here.  Yt  u  cam  ot  l<eep  a 
man  ignorant  or  bruti!>h  in  this  country,  if  you  give  him  his  Sahbalh, 
and  he  observes  it  according  to  his  Maker's  will.  He  will  he  raised 
by  its  concentrated  influences,  and  will  undersland  and  value  his  civil 
and  political  rights,  and  will  respect  the  rights  of  others.  'Jhe  wily 
demagogue  nui!>t  seek  somewhere  else  his  tool  or  liis  victim. 


35 

With  a  population  thus  nurtured,  we  all  feel  ihat  our  laws  would  be 
obeyed  and  our  liberties  as  a  nation  safe  ;  but  there  can  be  no  such  with- 
out the  Sabbath  and  its  appropriate  sanctification,  and  there  is  no  such 
where  it  is  unknown  and  unhonored.  We  beseech  pur  fellow-citizens 
maturely  to  consider  this  conclusion  and  the  facts  which,  as  we  have 
seen,  have  inevitably  involved  it. 

If  these  are  the  happy  issues  cf  obedience  to  this  wise  and  gracious 
command  of  our  Creator,  we  are  warned  by  his  word  and  awfid  provi- 
dences that  its  profanation  is  proportionally  dangerous.  The  purest  and 
most  healthful  fountain,  if  poison  be  cast  into  its  waters,  sends  forth  only 
streams  of  death,  and  so  will  desecrated  and  polluted  Sabbaths  work  our 
more  speedy  and  dreadful  ruin.  Our  principle  of  self-government  as  a 
people  must  be  abandoned,  and  we  and  our  children  must  pass  under  tlie 
yoke  of  despotism. 

There  is  much  to  encourage  us.  The  Sabbath,  like  the  Bible,  is  to  a 
great  extent  embedded  in  our  affections,  our  most  cherished  associations, 
and  in  our  social  and  civil  usages.  Almost  universally  the  places  of  busi- 
ness and  of  public  amusement  are  closed  ;  and,  as  a  general  fact,  and  in  a 
growing  degree  there  is  a  cessation  from  open  labor;  and  those  from 
whom  this  privilege  is  yet  withheld-i-for  wit'iheld  it  is  in  instances  fear- 
fully numerous — have  begun  to  feel  it  the  sorest  evil  of  their  poverty  that 
they  cannot  obtain  that,  even  as  a  boon,  which  is  theirs  by  inalienable 
birth-right — by  the  legacy  of  their  fathers  and  the  gift  of  God.  Of  the 
strength  of  this  desire  for  deliverance  there  are  t!ie  most  convincing 
proofs  before  the  Convention,  and  among  tlie  motives  which  liave  as- 
sembled us  iiere,  many  of  us  from  distant  homes,  were  the  affecting  ap- 
peals of  this  very  class  of  our  proscribed  fellow-citizens  for  the  help 
wliicli  public  opinion  and  public  sympathy  may  bring  to  their  relief. 
Shall  it  be  denied  ?  and  especially  shall  the  sought-for  aid  be  withheld 
by  those  who  have  the  power  to  grant  it ;  and  tliat  for  the  sake  of  gains 
uncertain  at  the  best,  but  which  if  realized,  will  bring  no  real  goi:d,  and 
which  may  yet  ruffle  and  disturb  the  pillow  of  death  ? 

In  conclusion,  we  would  ask  of  our  fellow-citizens  tlicir  influence,  their 
kind  persuasions,,  aiul  above  all,  their  blameless  example  in  aid  of  this 
cause,  to  the  furtherance  of  vvhich  so  many  and  such  various  considera- 
tions prompt  us.  The  world  has  never  witnessed  the  spectacle  of  an 
universal  obedience  to  the  Sabbath  in  any  country  ;  and  its  full  power 
to  bless  a  nation  is  yet  unrevealed.  In  no  other  land  can  the  trial  be 
made  with  such  encouragements  as  in  this,  and  with  t^uch  power  of  ex- 
ample to  the  world — for  if  successful  here  it  will  be  as'^tlie  voluntary 
decision  of  a  free  people. 

It  was  the  remark  of  one  of  the  ablest  and  purest  of  those  foreio-ners 
who  came  to  our  aid  in  the  days  of  revolutionary  peril,  and  who  made 
his  home,  and  recently  his  grave,  among  us,  the  late  venerable  Dupon- 


36 

ceau,  of  Pliil;uleli)liia,  tliat  of  all  we  Qlinmed  as  cliarafteristic,  our  ob- 
servance of  the  Sabbath  is  the  only  one  truly  national  aiid  American, 
and  for  this  cause,  if  for  no  other,  he  trusted  it  would  never  lose  its 
hold  on  our  affections  and  patriotism.  It  was  a  noble  thoughl,  and  m;iy 
well  mingle  witli  higher  and  nobler  motives  to  stimulate  our  efl'crts  and 
encourage  our  hopes.  And  while  it  is  the  glory  so  eagerly  coveted  by 
olhernations  that  ihey  may  be  pre-eminent  in  conquests  and  extended 
rule,  let  us  gladly  accept  it  as  our  distinction,  and  wear  it  as  the  fairest  of 
all  that  grace  our  escutcheon,  tliat  we  pre-eminently  honor  the  Sabbath 
and  the  Sabbath's  Lord. 

In  behalf  of  tlie  Convention, 

JOHN  Q.  ADAMS,  President. 

Harmar  Denny,   Secretary. 

Dr.  Eddy,  from  tlie  Standing  Committee,  reported  tlie  following 
Resolutions,  which  w^ere  adopted  : 

XX.  Jicsolved,  That  this  Convention  view  with  gratitude  to  the 
Divine  Being,  the  ellbrt  which  has  for  some  time  past  been  making 
on  the  part  of  the  National  government,  as  well  as  of  many  oflicers 
of  the  army,  to  extend  to  the  soldiery  the  privilege  of  resting  on 
the  Sabballi  and  attending  the  worship  of  the  Sanctuary.  And  it 
is  ardently  hoped,  through  the  good  providence  of  God,  that  this 
privilege  will  soon  be  extended  to-the  entire  army. 

XXI.  Resulved^  That  the  clergy  of  the  ditlerent  denominations 
of  christians  in  the  United  States  be  respectfully  requested  to 
preach,  annually,  a  sermon  or  sermons,  adapted  to  promote  the 
scriptural  ohervance  of  the  Lord's  day  ;  and,  if  convenient  to 
them,  to  select  the  month  before  harvest  as  the  season  lor  such 
discourse. 

Dr.  Eddy  then  read  the  22nd  and  23rd  resolutions,  which  were 
agreed  to  without  debate. 

XXn.  Resolved^  That  Rev.  Mr.  Hamner,  Rev.  Benjamin  Kurtz, 
Fielder  Israel,  Charles  W.  Ridgcly,  and  R.  G.  Armstrong,  Esqs., 
be,  and  they  are  hereby  appointed  a  Committee  of  Finance,  to 
whom  shall  be  paid  over  whatever  sums  may  be  subscribed  and  col- 
lected for  that  purpose,  to  pay  all  the  necessary  expenses  of  the 
Convention;  and  who  shall  select  such  portions  of  the  letters  and 
communications  read  before  this  Convention,  to  be  published  in 
connexion  with  the  minutes  of  its  proceedings,  as  they  may  think 
proper,  and  also  superintend  the  publication,  and  gratuitous  dis- 
tribution of  the  proceedings  of  the  Convention. 

XXIII.  Resolved,  That  the  respective  delegates  in  attendance  on 
this  Convention,  be  requested  to  leave  their  address  with  either  of 
the  members  of  the  said  Committee,  and  that  a  copy  of  the  pro- 
ceedings he  sent,  by  mail  or  otherwise,  to  every  such  delegate. 

Mr.  Adams,  the  venerable  President  of  the  Convention,  rose  and 
stated,  that  he  was  now  under  the  necessity  of  taking  his  leave  of 
this  body,  and  of  returning  to  Washington.     He  look  this  opportu- 


37 

nity  of  renewing  to  every  gentleman  present  his  cordial  thanks  for 
the  ])onor  they  had  done  liun  by  placing  him  in  that  chair,  and  also 
for  the  gratification  he  had  received  from  what  had  hitherto  been 
done.  If  it  was  true,  that  there  existed  a  solid  foundation  for  the 
remark,  which  had  been  alluded  to,  of  the  late  lamented  Uupon- 
ceau,  that  the  American  nation  was  distinguished  above  ail  other 
nations  of  the  earth,  for  its  profound  reveience  for,  and  its  general 
observance  of  the  Sabbaili ;  he  hoped  that  the  result  of  the  present 
.Convention,  would  gieally  increase  sucli  evulence  of  its  true  glory. 

Dr.  Longmore,  of  iManayunk,  moved,  that  the  thanks  of  this 
Convention  be  given  to  our  most  excellent  and  venerable  President, 
for  his  able  and  acceptable  administration  of  the  duties  of  the  chair, 
on  this  occasion. 

The  motion  was  unanimously  agreed  to,  and  the  Convention 
adjourned  to  the  afternoon. 

Thursday  aftert^oo", — 3  o'c/ocfc. 

The  Convention  met.  The  Hon.  Willard  Hall,  1st  Vice  Presi- 
dent in  the  chair.  Prayer  was  oti'ered  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kingsford, 
of  Alexandria. 

Dr.  Edwards,  from  the  Business  Committee,  reported  the  follow- 
ing Resolutions  : 

XXIV.  Resolved,  Thn[  the  thanks  of  this  Convention  be  given  to 
the^Trustees  of  the  congregation  worshipping  in  this  house,  for  the 
use  of  the  church,  and  for  all  the  accommodations  which  they  have 
furnished  during  the  sessions  of  this  Convention. 

XXV.  Resolved,  Thatlhe  thanks  of  this  Convention  be  tendered 
to  the  families  in  Baltimore,  who  have  kindly  opened  their  houses 
for  the  accommodation  and  generous  entertainment  of  the  mem- 
bers of  this  Convention. 

XXVI.  Resolved,  That  the  assistance  which  the  venerable  John 
Quii>cy  Adams,  late  President  of  the  United  Slates,  lias  rendered 
to  the  object?  of  this  Convention,  in  the  able,  dignified  and  kind 
manner  in  wliich  he  has  ])resided  over  our  deliberations,  and  in  the 
testimony  ^vhicli  he  has  borne  to  the  imjiortance  of  the  Sabbath  to 
the  social,  civil  and  religious  interests  of  our  country,  deserves  and 
receives  our  grateful  acknowledgements  ;  and  that  tlie  Secretaries 
be  directed  to  transmit  it  to  him  with  our  earnest  desires  for  his 
health,  usefulness  and  hapiiiness ;  and  that  when  he  shall  have  done 
with  the  things  of  this  world,  he  may  he  prepared  for,  and  received 
to  "  that  rest  which  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God." 

Dr.  Eddy  moved,  that  the  time  wliile  the  Committee  were 
out  jireparing  further  business  for  the  action  of  the  body,  be  occu- 
pied in  free  conversation. 

He  ]iad  himself  a  word  or  two  to  say  as  to  tlie  state  of  things  in  New  Jersey,  wliero 

'  he  resided.     And  he  wo>ild  malie  these  statements  the  more  readily  since  many  of 

the, evils  they  suffered  in  tiiat  State  were  chiefly  of  foreign  growth.     Tlie  State  iiad 

been  compared  by  some  one,  Dr.  Franklin,  he  believed,  to  a  cask  tapped  at  both  ends. 

Ti)js  was  said,  and  not  altogether  without  reason,  in  allusion  to  its  position  between 


S8 

the  tvyo  great  cities  of  New  York  and  Pliiladelphia.  But  tlic  simile  would  have  been 
more  correct  if  it  had  compared  the  Slate  to  the  Mediterranean,  with  a  strait  like 
that  of  Gibraltar  at  each  end  :  for  much  more  flowed  into  than  out  of  it.  In  Jersey 
their  courts  were  almost  perpetually  in  session  ;  but  it  was  to  settle  causes  the 
origin  of  which  came  from  Philadelphia  and  New  York.  Tlie  vicious  from  both 
cities  escaped  on  Sabbath  to  the  Jersey  shore  opposite,  and  there  they  committed 
crimes  wliich  led  them  to  the  penitentiary  and  often  to  the  gallows.  The  statements 
of  Judge  Hornblower  on  that  subject  were  fearfully  true.  Dr.  E.  had  himself  too 
often  been  called  to  attend  wretched  criminals  from  the  condemned  cell  to  the  fatal 
tree.  Many  of  them  were  residents  of  New  York,  and  their  first  step  in  crime  was 
to  come  over  on  the  Sabbath  to  tlie  shores  of  New  Jcisey — there  ihey  got  to  drink- 
ing, and  then  to  quarrelling  and  murder.  Here  was  one  of  the  greatest  evils  with 
which  their  community  was  afflicted.  The  great  cities  on  either  hand  weie  pouring 
out  on  every  Lord's  day  thousands  upon  thousands  of  beings  who  had  no  regard  for 
the  laws  eitlier  of  God  or  man.  The  mail  cars  between  New  York  and  Philadelphia 
were  filled,  on  Sabbath,  with  those  who  came  abroad  with  dog  and  gun  to  engage  in 
field  sports.  It  was  tliercfore  in  our  great  cities  that  this  question  of  Sabbath  obser- 
vance or  Sabbath  desecration  must  in  the  first  instance  be  settled.  The  mail  could 
not  travel  across  New  Jersey  were  it  not  for  the  stockholders  of  the  rail  road  lines  in 
New  York  and  Philadelphia.  The  people  of  Jersey  were,  generally  speaking,  in 
favor  of  a  stiict  observance  of  the  Lord's  day;  but  their  wishes  were  controlled  and 
crossed  by  gentlemen  residing  out  of  the  State. 

Mr.  Childs  said  that  he,  too,  had  been  waiting  with  anxiety  to  hear  some  gentle- 
man touch  upon  what  he  esteemed  the  real  foundation  of  the  whole  evil  complained 
of  He  believed,  for  one,  that  the  difiiculty  lay  back  of  any  of  the  causes  which 
had  as  yet  been  brouglit  forward  :  and  it  was  this, — that  there  existed  no  settled 
judgment  in  the  community  as  to  what  constitutes  a  violation  of  the  Sabbath.  One 
might  go  from  one  end  of  this  country  to  the  otlier,  and  witii  the  exception  of  a 
small  infidel  clique  all  professed  to  keep  the  Sabbath.  VYe  niigiit  see  in  one  place  a 
colonel  at  the  head  of  his  regiment  maiiffiuvring  on  the  parade  ground  : — or  a  cap- 
tain of  artillery  practicing  his  men  at  target  firing :  both  of  them  perhaps  were  pro- 
fessors of  Christianity  :  and  they  both  maintained  that  they  were  appropriately  oc- 
cupying the  hours  of  the  Lord's  day.  A  general  officer  would  march  through  the 
streets  of  one  of  our  great  cities  with  his  thousands  of  troops  and  still  contend  he 
wiis  doing  his  duty.  This  was  their  mode  of  keeping  Sabbath.  There  was  no  prin- 
ciple in  the  case  but  this — simply  to  take  the  fourtii  Commandment  as  our  rule,  and 
make  no  exceptions  but  for  works  of  necessity  or  mercy.  Wiien  ministers  and  mem- 
bers of  the  church  began  to  set  the  example  of  transcending  tliis  rule,  there  was  no 
flopping  j!oint  short  of  general  licentiousness,  and  an  utter  prostration  of  all  Sabbath 
observance  wiiatever.  Mr.  C.  said  that  the  api)eal.must  be  to  the  members  of  iho 
christian  church  throughout  these  United  Stales — to  those  who  thioiigh  tiie  benign 
influences  of  the  S()iiit  had  been  converted  to  llie  knowledge  and  obedience  of  iho 
truth  :  it  must  be  tlicy  who  would  save  the  country  or  it  could  not  be  saved.  Our 
hope  was  in  that  church  which  Jesus  had  founded  with  his  own  right  hand.  Ho 
hoped  Ibis  entire  Convention  would  rise  as  one  man  and  present  sucli  an  appeal  to 
the  cliristians  of  America.  Could  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  employ  the 
sacred  hours  of  the  Sabbath  in  any  tiling  besides  his  own  worship,  save  only  works 
of  necessity  and  mercy  ? 

Suppose  the  fourtii  were  put  on  the  same  level-  in  our  practice  wilii  the  sixth  Com- 
mandment— what  a  revolution  would  it  make  in  Society  !  And  yet  where  was  tlio 
ditfeienco  in  their  moral  obligation?  And  in  relation  to  the  sanciificalion  of  llio  Sab- 
bath, why  should  not  all  classes  of  our  citizens  be  put  on  the  same  level  and  receive 


39 

the  same  treatment?  If  a  poor  black  boy  rolled  his  wheelbarrow  or  drove  his  cart 
past  one  of  our  churciies  vvhile  engaged  in  worship,  he  was  immediately  stopped: 
yet  we  suffered  at  the  same  time  the  proprietors  of  steamboats  aiul  rail  cars  to  rush 
throiigli  the  country  carrying  freight  and  passengers  without  interterence  and  with 
scarce  an  intimation  of  censure. 

He  appreciated  the  truth  of  the  remarks  made  by  a  gentleman  recently  up  (Dr. 
Eddy),  and  thought  with  him  that  we  should  carefully  avoid  sliewing  a  captious 
spirit  against  the  church  and  the  ministry.  His  remarks  on  that  subject  were  en- 
titled to  great  consideration.  Yet  it  was  a  certain  truth  that  while  the  conductors 
and  agents  were  driving  their  cars  roaring  through  our  streets  on  the  Lord's  day, 
their  employers,  the  proprietors  of  the  cars,  were  in  the  house  of  God  piously  seated 
at  the  Lord's  table.  It  was  useless  to  shut  our  eyes  to  facts  like  these  :  we  must  look 
at  the  case  as  it  is.  He  knew  there  were  difficulties  to  be  encountered  :  but  he  be- 
lieved the  root  of  them  was  to  be  found  in  tiie  loose  principles  held  by  many  as  to 
what  was,  and  what  was  not,  a  violation  of  the  Sabbath.  It  would  generally  be  found 
that  gross  error  was  contemporaneous  with  loose  notions  respecting  the  Sabbath. 
He  had  been  forcibly  struck  with  a  remark  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Edwards,  that  the  Sab- 
bath was  as  naturally  suited  to  the  mind  and  conscience  of  man  as  air  was  to  his 
lungs,  or  cold  water  to  his  thirst,  or  hght  to  his  eye.  SureLy  the  great  body  of  chris- 
tians might  exert  a  greater  influence  in  causing  it  to  be  observed.  There  were  in 
Baltimore  as  many,  if  not  more  than  twenty  thousand  Protestant  Christians,  at  least 
five  thousand  of  whom  exercised  tli«  elective  franchise.  Now  while  he  would  be 
among  the  last  to  degrade  the  holy  cause  of  religion  by  mingling  and  mixing  it  up 
with  the  party  politics  of  the  day — he  loathed  the  very  thought — j-et  it  was  certainly 
true  that,  if  these  five  thousand  christian  voters  avowed  it  as  their  purpose  to  have 
none  for  their  rulers  who  openly  set  the  law  of  God  at  defiance,  his  word  for  it, 
they  would  at  once  witness  a  wonderful  reform  in  tliis  matter  of  Sabbath  breaking. 
There  was  not  a  city  or  a  village  inour  laiid  where,  if  the  church  once  took  this 
sla.nd  and  kept  it,  they  would  not  witness  a  great  and  salutary  change.  Give  him 
but  the  assurance  that  every  member  of  what  were  commonly  known  as  the  Evan- 
gelical Ciiurches  of  the  United  Slates  would  never  travel  in  coacli,  stage,  rail  car  or 
steamboat  on  the  Lord's  day,  nor  go  nor  send  to  the  Post  office  on  that  day,  and  he 
would  not  ask  for  any  petitions  to  Congress  nor  any  legal  interposition  of  any  kind  : — 
4he  crime  would  cease  at  once  :  it  would  drop  spontaneously  and  without  hand. 

It  had  been  demonstrated,  and  the  fact  was  officially  admitted,  that  the  trans- 
portation of  the  mail  on  the  Sabbath  was  an  enormous  burden  on  the  Government 
and  cost  full  one-liiird  as  much  as  to  carry  it  on  all  the  otiier  days  of  the  week. 
The  Government  did  not  desire  the  practice  to  continue  :  let  but  the  men  who  feared 
God  icill  that  it  should  cease,  and  it  would  cease.  He  spoke  in  the  sincerity  of  his 
soul  in  endeavoring  to  direct  tiie  attention  of  this  body  to  what  he  believed  to  be 
the  foundation  of  the  evil.  We  might  put  forth  documents  to  sliow  that  Sabbatli 
rail  cars  were  run  at  an  actual  loss  to  the  proprietors  :  but  that  was  not  the  thing, 
the  proprietors  wourd  settle  all  questions  of  profit  and  loss  for  themselves.  No  fiear 
but  they  would  discover  all  that :  tills  body  never  would  influence  them  by  such  arou- 
ments,  rwr  much,  probably,  by  setting  forth  the  evils  of  Sabl^ath  travelling.  They 
must  be  moved  by  a  healthy  public  sentiment,  or  by  nothing.  As  to  New  Jersey, 
Mr.  C.  said,  he  loved  the  State,  if  for  nothing  else,  because  it  held  in  its  bosom  such 
a  man  as  Chief  Justice  Hornblower,  whose  admirable  communication  had  been  heard 
with  80  deep  an  interest.  Let  but  tiie  sentiments  expressed  by  that  venerable  man 
become  universal,  and  nothing  more  would  be  wanting  to  place  his  State  on  the  pin- 
nacle of  glory.  He  regretted,  however,  to  hear  tiiat  that  excellent  State  should  per- 
snit  the  public  degecration  of  tiie  Lord's  day  by  grog-shops  all  along  the  line  of  their 
fiaiJ  Boads. 


40 

Drs.  Longmore  and  Eddy  liere  interposed  to  state  tiiat  that  ovil  &aJ  been  re- 
formed :  the  Companies  had  prohibited  the  practice  and  it  was  discontinued. 

Mr.  C.  said  he  was  heartily  glad  to  hear  it :  for  he  had  himself  been  once  detained 
several  hours  in  the  night  on  one  of  those  lines  in  consequence  of  the  engineer 
being  drunk. 

He  had  thrown  out  these  remarks  in  a  somewhat  desultory  manner,  as  they  oc- 
curred to  his  mind.  If  anything  lie  Iiad  said  should  induce  those  who  heard  him  to 
probe  the  existing  evil  to  the  bottom,  his  purpose  would  have  been  answered. 

He  concurred  entirely  in  the  vindication  of  the  Clergy  generally,  which  had  beery 
presented  by  the  Rev.  gentleman  from  N.  J.  (l>r.  Eddy).  For  one  he  believed  that 
there  was  at  this  hour  no  part  of  God's  earth  where  the  christian  ministry  could 
compare  in  intelligence,  morals  or  piety  with  those  of  these  United  Slates.  There 
might  be,  and  no  doubt  were,  some  men  aitaclied  t»  the  order  whowere  a  disgrace 
to  it  and  to  themselves:  but  it  would  certainly  be  most  flagrant  injustice  to  say  that 
the  influence  of  the  American  clergy  was  not  sound  and  wholesome.  He  hoped 
that  the  Resolution  *  which  bad  been  offered  by  the  Rev.  gentleman  from  Maryland 
would  be  carried  out :  bot  he  trusted  the  matter  would  not  stop  there,  but  that  the 
entire  church  would  be  roused  to  its  duty. 

As  to  all  questions  about  the  Jewish  Sabbrilh,  he  believed  they  might  soon  be 
settled.  For  one  ho  was  so  ignorant  as  not  to  know  that  there  were  any  jx-rsons  ia 
the  country  who  professed  to  o'jserve  the  Jewish  Sabbath.  The  Subbaih  he  was  after, 
and  which  he  hoped  to  see  universally  kept,  was  that  which  was  established  six 
thousand  years  ago,  l)cfore  there  was  a  Jew  upoa  earth:  tbat  Sabbath  which  God 
hmiself  appointed  and  which  he  sanctioned  by  his  own  example:  that  Sabbath  which 
"  was  made  for  man."  Chiistmas  was  .still  Cluistmas,  whether  it  was  kept  on  the 
25th  of  Decemiier,  or  on  the  third  of  Jamiaiy,  or,  as  according  to  others  it  ought  to. 
bo,  on  the  16th  of  May.  It  commemorated  the  commencement  of  the  greatest  of 
all  earthly  events  r  so  did  the  Sabbath.  It  was  .Adam's  Sabbath,  so  far  as  any  par- 
ticular man  had  to  do  with  it.  It  w»«  now  kept  by  christians  generally  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week  :  but  it  was  not  less  the  Sabbath  on  that  siccount.  Was  one  of  the 
ten  commandments  repealed  ? — bj'  whom  ? — If  one  might  be  repealed,  all  inight  •. 
if  the  command  to  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day  was  not  binding  on  christians,  thca 
the  commandment  to  do  no  murder  was  not  binding  on  christians,  and  they  mielit 
steal,  murder,  covet,  lie  and  commit  adultery,  and  yet  sin  against  no  comniandment 
of  God.  The  command,  it  was  true,  v/as  given  at  Sinai  to  the  Jews:  .but  itwas  to 
remember  an  old  Sabha I h  wh\ch  had  been  ordained  thousands  of  years  before,  even 
at  the  creation  of  the  world.  God  did  not  make  the  Sabballi  Ihen  :  it  was  made  by 
him  the  next  day  after  he  had  made  man.  As  soon  as  he  made  him,  he  made  the 
Sabbath  "  for  him"  to  bless  him.  Adam  kept  the  Sabbath  :  and  men  would  do  the 
same  now,  all  men  would,  liad  not  Adam,  their  first  father,  broken  God's  law  and 
fallen  from  his  original  righteousness. 

Let  us  then  ask  all  to  bring  their  conscience  up  to,this  question^ — "Am  I  not  bound 
lo  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day?"  and  "can  I  keep  it  holy  save  by  spending  it  in  God's 
worship  and  abstaining  from  all  works  but  those  of  necessity  and  mercy  V  Here 
was  lee-room  enough  in  all  reason  to  suit  any  man. 

Mr.  C.  concluded  by  observing  that  they  luul  listened  lo  three  excellent  Addresses 
from  the  pen  of  the  Standing  Committee  :  ho  thought  the  Convention  needed  yet 
anolhcr — to  the  Christians  of  the  United  States:  once  enlist  them  heartily  in  this 
c&usc  and  all  opposition  would  fall,  and  the  heavenly  repose  and  stillness  of  the  day 
of  God  would  pervade  and   possess  our  happy    land.     Then  should   we  exhibit  lo  all 

*  No.  XXI,  originally  submitted  by  Dr.  Jolms,   and  referred  to  the  Uusiiicss  Coiu.. 


4i 

nations  the  truth  of  that  inspired  saying  "happy  is  that  nation  vvliose  Cod  is  the 
Lord." 

Dr.  Boardrnan  inquired  vvliellier  a  resolution  submitted  by  him  toiicliing  tlie  des- 
ecration of  Iho  Sabbalii  by  Sabbath  meetings  of  Congress,  and  vvhicli  had  been 
referred  to  the  Standing  Committee,  had  been  reported  by  tiicm  to  tiie  Convention? 

Judge  Hail,  tlie  acting  President,  replied  that  it  had  not. 

Dr.  B.  rej)licd  lliat  if  it  had  not,  and  if  it  was  the  intention  of  tiie  Committee  not 
lo  report  it,  he  should  claim  tlic  cx^rciye  of  his  personal  piivilegc,  as  a  member  of 
the  Convention,  to  present  it,  in  his  own  name,  directly,  for  the  action  of  the  body. 
He  viewed  the  sul)joct  as  one  of  tlie  deepest  importance,  and  he  believed  the  Reso- 
lution had  tlie  general  sympathy  of  the  members  present  in  its  favor. 

Dr.  Eddy  would  explain  the  reason  which  had  induced  the  Committee  to  decline 
reporting  the  resolution  to  the  Convention.  The  Committee  had  had  a  number  of 
resolutions  referred  to  them  which,  like  this  one,  they  did  not  feel  themselves  at 
liberty  to  report.  The  grounds  of  this  conclusion  would  hereafter  be  more  fully 
given  by  the  Chairman,  (Ur.  Edwards).  But  this  did  not  abridge  the  right  of  every 
member  to  offer  any  resolution  he  pleased  in  his  personal  capacity.  The  Committee 
did  not  .understand  that  tiieir  appointment  bound  them,  as  a  matter  of  couise,  to  re- 
port whatever  resolutions  might  be  offered,  else  where  was  the  utility  of  their  ap- 
pointment at  all  1  In  relation  lo  that  which  had  been  offered  by  the  Rev.  gentleman 
from  Pliiladclphia  (Dr.  .Boardrnan)  they  did  not  deem  it  expedient  to  invite  the 
action  of  the  body  upon  it,  because  they  understood  the  Convention  to  be  of  such  a 
character  as  rendered  it  inexpedient  for  them  to  present  themselves  before  the  world 
in  conflict  with  the  laws  of  their  country,  or  as  impeaching  the  conduct  of  our 
National  Legislators.  They  understood  this  assemblage  to- occupy  a  position  sub- 
limely remote  from  all  such  conflicts.  Our  public  representatives  were  responsible 
to  the  Constitution,  to  the  Laws,  and  their  own  constituents.  The  Committee  did 
not  feel  themselves,  or  the  Convention,  at  liberty  to  impeach  the  conduct  of  the 
National  Legislature.  Such  were  the  considerations  under  which  they  had  acted  : 
he  submitted  them,  with  due  respect,   to  the  decision  of  the  body. 

Dr.  Boardrnan  replied  that,  with  the.  utmost  respect  for  the  members  of  the  Stand- 
ing Committee,  he  could  not  refrain  from  the  expression  of  his  profound  surprise  at 
the  explanation  just  given  in  their  behalf.  If  the  principle  laid  down  by  the  worthy 
brother  who  had  just  resumed  his  seat,  was- to  prevail,  and  must  govern  the  course  of 
this  body,  and  ought  to  control  the  conduct  of  a  christian  people,  then  rnight  pot 
only  the  two  houses  of  Congress,  but  the  State  Legislatures,  and  the  corporate 
authorities  of  every  city,  and  borough  throughout  our  country,  not  only  occa- 
sionally, but  statedly  and  as  a  settled  practice,  hold  their  sessions  upon,  the  Lord's 
day,  and  not  a  christian  in  the  land  might  lift  tlie  voice  even  of  respectful  remon- 
strance against  such  a  flag-rant  desecration,  lest  he  should  "place  himself  in  conflict" 
with  the  civil  authorities!  So  far  was  Dr.  B.  from  sympathizing  in  such  a  senti- 
ment, that  he  believed  this  Convention  had  more  legitimately  to  do  with  our  National 
and  State  legislators,  than  with  the  proprietors  and  directors  of  canals  and  rail  cars. 
These  directors  were  not  appointed  by  the  members  of  this  body  :  the  citizens  gen- 
erally had  no  voice  in  choosing,  nor  any  recognized  right  of  controlling,  the  directors 
of  piivate  corporations:  those  Directors  were  not  in  any  sense,  their  servants,  nor 
responsible  to  the  members  of  this  body  for  their  acts  :  and  consequently,  on  the 
otiier  hand,  the  Convention  were  not  responsible  for  what  they  might  choose  to  do,  be- 
cause such  acts  never  were  submitted  for  the  Convention  to  pass  judgment  upon. 
(He  did  not  however  mean  to  say  but  that  its  members,  as  a  portion  of  the  com- 
munity, and  as  such  exerting  a  proportional  influence,  were  not  in  this  renote  sense 
responsible.)     But  what  was  the  case  in  relation  to  our  National  Representatives? 


t 


42 

They  were  the  representatives,  and  as  such  the  public  servants,  of  the  people.  The 
christian  portion  of  tlie  communiiy  were,  in  their  care,  directly  and  personally  re- 
sponsible for  every  act-they  were  permitted,  without  answer  or  rebuke,  to  perform. 
While  accustomed,  as  all  christians  were,  to  dwcjl  upon  the  fact  that  no  sin  so  cer- 
tainly called  down  the  judgments  of  heaven  as  the  open  breach  of  the  Sabbalh  day, 
our  position  was  that  of  a  people  responsible  for  their  Government  and  for  all  its 
acts.  And  if  God  visited,  (as  he  did  visit  in  all  ages,)  even  Governments  the  most 
despotic  for  the  public  sins  of  their  rulers,  how  much  more  might  he  be  expected  to 
punish  us,  a  free  people,  if  we  allowed  our  own  chosen  representatives  to  trample 
upon  his  Laws  without  remonstrance?  Should  they,  as  a  National  Convention,  hes- 
itate for  a  moment  to  do  what  was  done  in  the  face  of  the  House  itself  by  the  vene- 
rable man  who  had  lately  vacated  the  chair  of  this  body  ?  He  had  in  his  place,  as 
one  of  the  Representatives  from  Massachusetts,  firmly  resisted  an  official  encroach- 
ment on  the  sanctity  of  the  Lord's  day.  And  ought  this  body  to  shrink  from  doing 
the  same  1  He  trowed  not.  The  Mouse  of  Representatives  had  repeatedly  protracted 
its  session  into  the  Sabbath  morning  :  and  some  three  or  four  years  since  it  was  even 
extended  through  ahnost  the  whole  day.  Such  examples  had  a  fir-reaching  influence, 
an  influence  as  pernicious  as  it  was  extensive.  Of  what  avail  would  it  be  for  the 
Convention  to  press  an  argument  for  the  Sabbath  on  the  Directors  of  Rail  Road 
Companies,  while  an  example  so  momentous  and  so  pregnant  with  evil  was  held  forth 
without  remonstrance  or  complaint  before  the  eyes  of  the  people  ?  An  example  which 
might  and  would  be  pleaded  to  justify  or  to  excuse  Sabbath  violation  in  every  form. 
He  trusted  the  Convention  would  express  firmly  yet  temperatel}'  its  opinion  of  such 
a  proceeding. 

Dr.  B.  was  not  in  favor  of  anything  in  the  form  of  a  memorial :  but,  while  the 
country  had  been  searched  for  every  form  of  Sabbath  violation,  even  down  to  the 
Sabbath  school  child  who  bought  a  stick  of  candy,  ought  this  grave  and  flagrant  case 
remain  untouched  ?  He  trusted  not.  And  he  would  therefore  now  again  offer  the 
Resolution  and  ask  the  action  of  tlie  Convention  upon  it. 

-The  chair  decided  that  this  would  not  be  in  order  until  the  rule 
which  required  the  reference  of  all  resolutions  and  other  papers  to 
the  Staiidinsj  Committee  without  debate  should  have  been  sus- 
pended. 

Dr.  Lonijmore,  of  Manayunk,  thereupon  moved  that  the  rule  be 
suspended. 

Dr.  Eddy  ol)served,  that  a  Resolution  had  been  offered  declaring  that  public  men 
were  as  much  bound  in  their  public  capacity,  to  respect  and  obey  the  Law  of  God  as 
private  men  in  their  private  and  individual  ca|)acity.  The  Committee  had  reported  this 
Resolution  and  it  had  been  adopted  by  the  Convention.  That  now  presented  took, 
substantially,  the  same  ground.  He  did  not  deny  that  the  Convention  might  ap- 
proach the  National  Legislature  :  but  would  a  body  like  this  be  very  likely  to  sway 
such  a  body  as  that  ?  The  object  of  assembling  this  Convention  was,  as  he  under- 
stood it,  to  create  public  sentiment,  which  in  free  Governments  was  more  potent 
than  the  Laws  themselves.  This  if  created,  would  influence  the  National  Legis- 
lature fir  more  than  all  the  Resolutions  that  might  be  passed  here. 

Dr.  Campbell,  of  Pittsburg,  said  that  the  Coiiventionhad  appointed  a  Standing  Com- 
mittee, and  had  confided  to  their  discretion  the  reporting  of  sucli  resolutions  as  should 
receive  its  action.  Until  the  business  already  submitted  was  complete,  nothing  farther 
could  regularly  come  before  the  Convention,  but  through  that  Committee:  and  he 
could  not  but  view  it  as  somewhat  discourteous  for  any  individual  member  to  propose 
»irtually  to  discharge  the  Commillec  with  a  view  to  getting  a  favoiite  measure  before 


9 


43 

this  body.  Should  this  prartice  be  sustained,  all  might  claim  the  same  right:  each 
deemed  liis  own  resolution  of  great  importance ;  and  iiistead  of  being  able  to  adjourn 
that  night,  they  might  be  detained  in  Baltimore  for  a  month  to  come. 

He  moved  to  lay  the  motion  of  suspension  on  the  table :  and  the 
question  being  put,  it  passed  in  the  atfirmative. 

Dr.  Edwards,  from  the  Standing  Committee,  observed  that  the  Committee  had  read 
with  attention  and  delight  the  various  documents  submitted  to  them.  Some  of  them 
were  long— too  long  for  publication :  but  tiie  Committee  had  selected  and  presented 
such  only  as  seemed  to  them  to  touch  upon  those  principles  respecting  which  they 
deemed  it  expedient  this  Convention  should  bear  its  public  testimony.  Some  of  the 
resolutions  submitted  seemed  to  the  Committee  not  to  be  exactly  within  the  range 
rightly  pertaining  to  the  action  of  such  a  body  :— others  related  not  so  much  to  the 
obligation  of  keeping  the  Sabbath  as  to  details  respecting  the  manner  in  which  it 
should  be  sanctified,  a  matter  which  could  more  advantageously  be  treated  by  local 
associations.  The  Committee  beheved  that  this,  as  a  National  Convention,  assembled 
from  various  and  distant  parts  of  the  Union,  should  confine  its  atlentioft  to  general 
and  comprehensive  views.  Another  large  class  they  had  reported,  and  which  had  re- 
ceived the  action  of  the  Convention.  After  as  full  a  consideration  as  possible,  they 
thought  that  as  much  ground  had  been  covered  as  would  be  useful  toward  producing 
the  highest  and  best  effect  upon  tlic  public  mind.  There  was  such  a  thing  as  going 
too  far  in  matters  of  detail,  which  had  better  be  left  to  the  public  conscience  in  the 
light  of  facts.     The  remaining  papers  had  been  returned  to  the  Secretaries. 

He  concluded  by  a  motion  that  the  Standing  Committee  be  now 
discharged,  which  being  agreed  to,  they  were  discharged  accord- 
ingly. 

Dr.  Boardman  said  he  had  been  urged  by  many  friends  round 
him  to  offer  liis  resolution  again,  and  he  accordingly  presented  it  for 
the  action  of  the  Convention. 

Resolved,  That  this  Convention  express  their  deep  regret  that  the 
Congress  of  tlie  United  States,  has,  in  repeated  instances  within 
the  last  few  years,  deemed  it  expedient  to  continue  its  sessions 
through  the  whole  or  a  part  of  tlie  Sabbath:  and  they  record  it  as 
tlieir  deliberate  conviction  tliat  the  National  Legislature  should  ab- 
stain from  this  practice  for  the  future. 

Mr.  Paul  T.  Jones,  of  Philadelphia,  said  that  he  had  heard,  three  years  ago,  very  strong 
denunciations  of  rail  road  companies  and  mail  contractors  for  their  disregard  of  the 
fourth  commandment:  but  here  was  the  same  disregard  manifested  in  high  places  by 
the  National  Legislature,  and  yet  this  large  and  respectable  body,  convened  to  give 
expression  to  their  views  on  this  very  subject,  and  it  dare  hot, speak  out  and  uttejr  its 
protest  against  so  open  and  bold  a  profanation  of  the  day  of  rest.  The  legislature  of 
this  entire  nation  had  not  merely  trenched  upon  God's  day,  but,  in  one  instance,  had 
engrossed  nearly  llie  whole  of  it,  in  secular  aftairs ;  and  yet  this  Convention  paused  ; 
and  it  was  held  that  tiiey  ought  not  to  speak  although  the  Congress  daringly  violated  the 
wisiies  of  the  whole  ciiristian  community  througiiout  the  United  States.  If  such  a 
principle  were  to  prevail,  he  should  feel  like  protesting  against  tlie  Convention  itself. 
He  recommended  the  resolution  with  all  his  heart. 

Dr.  Edwards  observed  that  in  offering  the  resolution  tlie  mover  had  himself  admit- 
ted that  tiie  wording  of  it  might  perhaps  be  stronger  than  the  facts  would  warrant. 
Would  it  not  be  better  to  wait  till  the  whole  facts  in  the  case  had  been  ascertained? 
and  even  then,  a  serious  question  might  arise  as  to  the  expediency  of  adopting  a  res- 
olution of  lliis  tone  or  tenor. 


44 

Dr.  Boardman  thought  tlie  Rev.  Chairman  could  not  have  alhiiled  to  the  wording 
of  the  resolution.  The  facts  to  which  it  referred  was  known  to  the  whole  countiy. 
It  had  recurred  repeatedly  witliin  the  last  few  years. 

Rev.  Clias.  A.  Davis  movetl  that  the  Resolution  be  laid  upon  the 
table. 

But  the  question  being  put,  tlie  motion  was  negatived. 

The  question  then  recurring  on  the  adoption  of  the  resolution, 

Dr.  Edwards  said  he  had  a  few  thoughts  vvliich  he  wished  to  submit.  It  appeared 
to  him,  in  view  of  the  whole  case,  tliat  it  could  not  be  most  useful  to  the  cause  to 
adopt  a  resolution  of  this  kind  at  the  present  time.  The  Convention  had  already 
adopted  all  whicli  it  would  be  desirable  to  embody  in  the  pamphlet  intended  to  be  put 
forth  by  the  Convention.  Some  of  the  distinguished  men  who  had  been  in  commu- 
nication with  them  on  this  occasion  had  e.vpiessed  a  fear  lest  the  Convention  should 
come  into  conflict  with  the  goveruMiont  in  some  way  that  political  men  could  lay 
hold  of  for  evil.  Dr.  E.  said  he  had  travelled  sixteen  thousand  miles,  while  engaged 
in  advancing  the  great  object  wliich  had  convened  this  assembly.  In  the  course  of 
tiicse  journeyings,  lie  had  become  acquainted  with  the  views  of  distinguished  friends 
of  tlie  Sabbath  in  various  portions  of  the  Union  :  they  were  delighted  with  the  pro- 
gress which  had  been  attained,  and  in  the  advantageous  change  which  was  taking 
place  in  the  public  mind.  They  thought  this  change  was  proceeding  as  fast  as  was 
consistent  with  its  being  at  the  same  time  kind  and  intelligent.  It  was  silently  ad- 
vancing, and  would  continue  to  grow  until  the  public  conscience  should  at  length 
gain  sutBcient  strength  to  control  the  action  of  the  directors  of  our  canals  and  rail 
roads,  and  to  restiain  the  transmission  of  the  mails  and  the  sittings  of  Congress  upon 
the  Lord's  day,  in  a  way  perfectly  kind,  yet  very  efficacious.  He  believed  that  the 
passage  of  a  resolution  like  that  now  proposed  would  excite  the  regret  of  some  of  the 
best  and  most  distinguished  men  amongst  us.  Their  cliief  fear  for  this  Convention 
had  been,  that  it  might  adopt  some  resolution  which  might  be  used  by  ill-minded  men 
to  disturb  and  retard  that  kind  and  gradual,  but  sure  and  effective  reformation  which 
was  so  happily  tn  progress. 

The  hour  of  adjournment  having  now  arrived,  the  Convention 
adjourned  till  7  o'clock. 

Evening  Session, — 7  oWock. 

The  Convention  re-assembled.    Prayer  was  oilered  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Hamilton. 

Rev.  Mr.  Brainard,  of  Philadelphia,  said  tliat  he  was  entirely  willing  tiiat  the 
highly  respected  brother  who  had  offered  the  resolution  should  be  his  own  judge  as 
to  his  own  course:  but  to  him  it  appeared  that,  after  so  strong  a  resolution  had  been 
offered  and  the  flagrant  violation  to  which  it  referred  had  thus  openly  been  brought 
before  the  notice  of  the  Convention,  it  might  not  be  necessary  lo  press  tiie  measure 
in  its  present  form.  He  felt  extreme  reluctance  to  vote  in  the  negative,  lest  it  might 
be  supposed  that  he  shrank  from  looking  at  sin  in  liigli  places.  He  was  greatly  in 
favor  of  the  resolution,  but  he  apprehended  that,  in  the  existing  slate  of  the  house,  if 
would  be  imjiossible  to  pass  it  with  that  degree  of  unanimity  which  in  matters  of  this 
kind  was  so  highly  desirable.  Under  this  impression,  lie  had  prepared  and  would 
now  submit  a  resolution  by  way  of  substitute,  embracing  the  essential  principles  of 
that  now  under  consideration,  )et  avoiding  what  was  feared  by  some  of  the  gentle- 
men present. 


45 

Mr.  B.  now  read  the  following: 

Resolved^  That  the  increasing  favor  with  which  men  in  high 
official  stations  regard  the  sanctification  of  the  Sabhath,  inspires 
the  liope  that  hereafter  they  will  carefully  abstain  from  introducing 
legislation  into  those  hours,  which  this  great  christian  nation  holds 
as  consecrated  to  the  service  of  Almighty  God. 

This  resolution,  it  would  be  observed,  did  not  specify  the  instances  in  which  tho 
House  had  violated  the  Sabbath.  It  did  not  designate  Congress  as  particularly  or 
alone  guilty  of  tlie  violation  ;  nor  did  it  advise  that  body  to  abstain  frop.i  the  like 
oft'ence  in  future.  It  stated  tiie  general  principle  ;  and  did  this  in  a  spirit  of  kindness. 
He  had  ventured  to  hope  that,  as  this  resolution  was  drawn  up  in  a  spirit  of  concilia- 
lion,  it  might  pass  unanimously.  It  certainly  would  be  gratifying  and  creditable, 
could  the  last  act  of  the  body  have  this  characteristic  of  unity.  To  try  the  sense  of 
the  Convention,  he  would  move  that  the  consideration  of  the  pending  resolution  be 
postponed  with  a  view  to  the  consideration  of  the  substitute. 

The  Chair  suggested  that  its  consideration  would  be  most  regular 
if  it  were  oiferecl  as  an  amendment. 

Mr.  Brainard  acquiesced  in  this  suggestion,  and  modified  his  mo- 
tion so  as  to  strike  out  all  of  Dr.  Boardman's  resolution  after  the 
word  "  resolved"'  and  insert  his  own. 

Dr.  Boardman  said  he  found  himself  in  a  very  unpleasant  and  painful  position, 
having  under  a  deliberate  conviction  of  duty  introduced  a  resolution,  which,  to  his 
great  and  unfeigned  surprise,  had  divided  the  house.  He  had  honestly  supposed  that 
the  Convention  would  have  fixed  on  that  form  of  desecration  to  which  his  resolution 
had  reference  as  pre-eminently  deserving  its  most  serious  consideration,  and  calling 
for  some  respectful,  yet  decisive  expression  of  opinion  by  this  body.  Since  the  ad- 
journment, he  had  been  earnestly  appealed  to  by  gentlemen  on  both  sides  of  the 
house,  on  one  part  to  willidraw,  and  as  slr*inuously  on  the  other  to  adhere  to  his  res- 
olution: in  the  hope  of  conciliating  the  views  of  both,  he  had  framed  a  substitute. 

This  differed  from  the  amendment  whicii  had  just  been  proposed,  in  that  it  con- 
tained a  specific  reference  to  the  fact.  He  thouglit,  from  the  exhibitions  of  opinion 
which  had  in  several  instances  been  made  by  the  constituents  of  this  body,  that  it 
was  their  expectation  tlie  Convention  would  take  some  notice  of  this  public  violation 
of  the  Lord's  day.  All  he  wished  the  Convention  to  say  was,  that  they  regret  the 
fact  and  hoped  it  would  not  recur  again:  and  surely  he  need  not  ask  wlicther  this 
was  not  the  feeling  of  every  member  of  this  body. 

The  Chair  stated  that  the  amendment  already  offered  (by  Mr. 
Brainard,)  must  first  be  disposed  of. 

Dr.  Boardman  thereupon  moved  that  both  the  original  resolution, 
as  moved  by  himself,  and  the  amendment  be  postponed  with  a  view 
to  considering  the  substitute  which  he  read. 

Mr.  Cliilds  moved  that  both  resolution  and  amendment  be  laid  on 
the  table :  and  the  question  being  put  it  was  agreed  to. 

Dr.  Boardman  then  olfercd  his  substitute  as  follows: 

Resolved,  That  this  Convention  express  their  deep  regret  that 
the  National  Legislature  should,  in  several  ini^tances  w^ithin  the  last 
few  years,  have  deemed  it  expedient  to  continue  their  sessions 
through  a  part  of  the  Sabbath;  and  they  cherish  the  hoi)e  that  all 
our  le'gislative  bodies  may  hereafter  abstain  from  the  transaction  of 
business  on  that  day. 


46 

Mr.  Brainard  expressed  his  liope  that  this  would  be  adopted  unanimously.  His 
object  had  been  to  discliarge  his  conscience,  and  yet  meet,  as  far  as  lie  could,  the 
views  of  the  Convention.  A  large  majority  lie  believed  preferred  the  last  modifica- 
tion of  his  brotlier's  resolution,  and  he  was  sure  it  contained  nothing  to  which  they 
could  not  all  give  their  assent.  As  it  was  to  be  the  public  act  of  lliis  body,  let  all  jf. 
march  up  to  it  and  make  it  a  unanimous  act.  Tliis  would  give  it  weightKis  tiicir 
united  testimony. 

Dr.  Nott  suggested  to  tlie  mover  a  change  in  the  phraseology.  The  thing  com- 
plained of  was  not  peculiar  to  Congress  :  the  same  tiling  had  repeatedly  happened 
in  the  New  York  Legislature. 

Several  modifications  were  here  suggested  so  a.s  to  include  the 
State  Legislatures,  but  Dr.  B.  declined  accepting  either  of  them  as 
a  modification. 

Rev.  Mr.  Mitchell  thought  the  resolution  not  in  the  least  disrespectful  to  Congress, 
and  thought  it  would  be  taken  by  that  body  in  good  part.  Every  one  knew  that  the 
desecration  of  ihe  Sabbath  by  the  National  Legislature  had  been  witnessed  with  great 
pain  by  the  more  sober  and  moral  and  especially  by  the  religious  portion  of  the  com- 
munity: and  he  was  convinced  that  the  act  of  the  Convention  in  plainly  speaking 
out  its  sentiments  on  the  subject  could  offend  nobody.  Whatever  was  its  effect,  it 
ou"ht  to  operate  alike  on  all  our  legislative  bodies  who  had  indulged  in  such  a  prac- 
tice. 

Mr.  Boardman  avowed  his  readiness  to  accept  a  modification  including  the  State 
Legislatures  if  any  gentleman  could  vouch  for  the  fact  that  they  too  had  held  their 
sittings  on  the  Sabbath. 

Several  gentlemen  rose  and  stated  the  fact  to  be  within  their  own 
knowledge. 

Dr.  Boardman  accordingly  amended  liis  resokition  so  as  to  read 
as  follows : 

Resolved,  That  this  Convention  express  their  deep  regret  that 
the  National  Legislature  and  other  Legislative  bodies  should,  in 
several  instances,  within  the  last  few  years,  have  deemed  it  expe- 
dient to  continue  their  sessions  through  a  part  of  tije  Sabbath  ;  and 
they  cherish  the  hope  that  all  our  legislative  bodies  may  hereafter 
abstain  from  the  transaction  of  business  on  that  day. 

Mr.  Cooper  observed  that  it  ought  not  to  be  said  they  had  done  so  "  in  several  in- 
stances" unless  that  was  known  to  be  true. 

Mr.  Sheer  said  he  had  been  much  pleased  with  the  original  resolution:  it  had 
point  and  force:  but  every  step  towards  its  amendment  had  only  gone  to  weaken 
it,  until  he  doubted  whether,  in  its  present  form,  it  would  accomplish  anything. 
Gentlemen  ought  to  remember  that  they  were  sitting  not  as  a  Maryland  Sabbath 
Association,  but  as  a  National  Sabbath  Convention,  called  from  the  country  at  large 
to  consult  on  measures  to  promote  the  better  observance  of  the  Lord's  day.  Were  it 
a  mere  Slate  Convention,  then  it  might  be  very  appropiiate  and  proj^r  to  notice  State 
violations  of  the  Sabb.'th  ;  but  thoy  represented  in  some  sort  tlie  nation.  Here  was 
a  flao-rant,  notorious  desecration  of  the  day  of  God,  perpetrated  by  men  in  high 
places.  While  reform  acted  upward,  example  0|jerated  downward,  especially  when 
it  came  from  those  at  the  very  head  of  society,  lie  did  not  hesitate  to  s.iy  their  ex- 
ample, in  this  matter,  had  had  a  most  baneful  infiuence.  Gcnlleinen  did  not  know 
all  that  these  Sabbath  sessions  produced  Mr.  S.  could  tell  a  tale  one  half  of  which 
most  of  that  audience  had,  in  all  probability,  never  dreamed  of.    Night  sessions,  both 


47 

in  cur  National  and  State  Legislatures,  were  the  curse  of  those  bodies.  Most  of  tlie 
visits  to  those  subterranean  hells  in  wliicli  the  drunkard's  drink  was  vended  in  the 
bar  of  the  capilol  at  Washington,  took  place  during  tlie  night.  When  the  session 
was  protracted  to  the  dawn  of  the  Sabbath  morning,  bad  blood,  caused  in  a  great  de^ 
gree  by  this  midnight  drinking,  entered  tlie  assembly  and  began  to  manifest  itself  as 
well  among  the  members  themselves  as  among  tliose  who  attended  to  witness  their 
doings.  And  was  it  so  that  these  men  were  to  be  suffered  to  "  play  fantastic  tricks 
before  high  heaven,"  and  not  a  voice  must  be  lifted  in  rebuke?  "'Otlier  legislative 
bodies"  must  bo  brought  in,  lest  the  language  might  be  considered  too  pointed,  and  it 
might.be  divined  that  they  were  pointing  their  finger  too  directly  at  those  in  the 
highest  seats.  But  the  scripture  did  not  thus  balk  iniquity,  the  Bible  did  not  deal  in 
mere  generahties,  it  spoke  out  plainly  and  directed  its. language  strait  at  the  objects 
of  God's  indignation. 

It  had  been  said  that  public  sentiment  must  correct  the  evil.  But  was  public  sen- 
timent ever  to  do  this  unless  It  designated  particular  sinsi  Suppose  any  otlier  enor- 
mity kindled  the  indignation  of  the  American  people,  were  they  to  be  informed  that  • 
in  expressing  their  feelings  they  must  frame  none  but  "  kind''  resolutions?  couched 
in  smooth  and  gentle  terms,  lest  perchance  they  should  offend  the  nice  ears  of  their 
public  servants?  Had  they  come  to  this  place,  some  of  them  travelling  a  IJiousand 
miles  to  reach  it,  simply  to  express  "  their  regret"  that  Congress  had  broken  the  Sab- 
bath, and  that  "  perhaps  other  legislatures"  had  done  the  same?  Carbuncles  were 
not  to  be  cured  by  anointing  them  with  oil  :^we  must  cut  at.right  angles,  and  burn 
thefn  out  with  caustic.  The  resolution  was  too  soft  for  the  occasion  :  and  as  it  now 
stood  he  believed  he  should  vote  against  it.  If  the  Convention  could  adopt  a  resolu- 
tion speaking  boldly  out,  be  could  hold  up  botii  his  hands  for  it.  While  he  depre- 
cated petitions  to  Congress  on  moral  questions,  he  held  that  we  had  a  clear,  undoubted 
right  as  American  citizens  to  say  plainly  what  we  thought — should  the  resolution  pass 
in  its  present  form,  it  would  remind  him  strongly  of.  the  anecdote  of  a  certain  master 
who  could  not' get  his  servants  to  mind  him,  and  instead  of  rebuking  them,  he  turned 
to  his  steward  and  asked  him  wh}'  he  did  not  reprimand  them  ?  The  steward  replied, 
if  you  well  write  a  reprimand  I  will  read  it  to  them:  he  did  so  and  the  servants 
lauglied  at  him. 

Dr.  AlcDowell  said  we  had  the  Bible  both  for  God's  commands  and  for  examples. 
In  one  case  a  man  preferred  doing  his  duty,  at  the  price  of  being  thrown  into  a  den 
of  lions,  and  the  result  convinced  a  king :  in  another  an  apostle  so  preached  that  Fe- 
lix trembled.  These  men  did  not  rebuke  sin  only  where  it  was  found  in  low  places. 
Would  they  notice  the  sale  of  candies  to  a  child  on  the  Sabbath,  and  when  it  was 
violated  by  the  highest  legislative  body  in  the  land,  turn  away  their  faces  and  pass  by 
on  the  other  side?  Never.  He  was  for  speaking  out  against  men  in  high  places  as 
well  as  low.  He  believed  it  was  only  necessary  to  transpose  the  words  of  the  reso- 
lution a  little,  and  to  say  that  "  the  National  Legislature  in  many  instances  and  other 
legislative  bodies"  had  continued  their  sittings  on  the  Sabbath. 

Mr.  Childs  moved  to  strike  out  the  words  "National  Legislature 
and  other  legislative  bodies,"  and  insert  "  Congress  of  the  United 
States." 

He  did  not  wish  this  Convention  to  be  silent  concerning  a  great  evil  on  wliich  the 
■press  of  the  country,  both  political  and  religious,  had  at  the  lime  plainly  spoken  out. 
He  disliked  the  vague  manner  in  which  it  was  referrexl  to.  He  was  not  prepared  to 
say  that  other  legislatures  had  violated  the  Sabbath  dclibeiately  and  wantonly  as 
Congress  had  done.  It  might  in  some  cases  have  been  necessary  :  he  did  not  know 
and  therefore  could  not  judge  of  the  circumstances.  He  thought  the  mover  of  the 
resolution  had  been  loo  yielding  and  that  his  resolution  was- better  as  it  stood  at  first. 


48 

Mr.  Mitchell  was  opposed  to  the  amendment,  and  his  first  remark  should  be  for 
the  benefit  of  liis  friend  over  the  way,  (Mr.  Slicer).  Mr.  M.  had  yet  to  learn  that 
the  Congress  of  Ihe  U.  S.  were  so  obtuse  of  understandmg  as  not  to  be  able  to  com- 
prehend the  meaning  of  this  body  unless  it  was  couched  in  the  language  of  railinor. 
The  milder  the  terms  employed,  provided  they  fuHy  expressed  the  meanini/  intended, 
the  greater  the  prospect  that  they  would  do  good.  There  was  anolhi;r  thing  he  hud 
not  yet  learned,  and  that  was  that  it  was  less  sinful  for  a  Stale  Leg-islalure  to  profane 
the  Sabbath  than  for  the  National  Legislature:  in  his  view  both  were  alike  sinful 
before  God  against  the  cause  of  morals  and  of  freedom,  and  both  called  for  public 
rebuke.  He  hoped  that  both  would  be  included  in  the  language  of  the  resolution. 
There  was  abundant  proof  present  that  many  of  our  Slate  Legislatuies  were  quite 
as  guilty  as  Congress  in  this  matter. 

Dr.  Bond  remarked  that  th<Me  were  two  ways  of  defeating  a  resolution,  the  first 
and  most  direct  and  honest  was  lo  vole  it  down  : — the  other  was  so  to  dilute  it  that 
it  would  have  no  effect.  It  seemed  probable  to  him  that  Uiis  resolution  would  be 
defeated  in  the  latter  mode  ;  as  it  stood  now  it  expressed  the  regret  of  this  Conven- 
tion that  Legislative  bodies,  in  general,  continued  their  sittings  on  the  Lord's  day. 
It  applied  as  much  to  the  Legislatures  of  New  York,  of  Maryland,  of  Great  Britain, 
of  France,  of  Turkey,  aye  and  of  Bokhara,  (if  such  a  Legislature  existed)  as  it  did 
to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States.  It  extended  over  the  whole  universe  and  til- 
ted nobody  :  and  he  greatly  feared  lest  that  was  the  object  intended.  TUe  gentleman 
last  up,  observed  with  holy  horror,  that  the  same  thing  had  been  done  by  the  Legis- 
latures of  the  States  as  by  Congress.  Dr.  B.  agreed  with  him  that  these  were  as 
guilty  as  the  other:  and  in  due  time  he  sliould  vote  for  a  like  censure  upon  them 
also.  Let  them  first  have  evidence  of  the  tiuth  of  the  charge.  He  was  prepared 
to  sit  here  till  twelve  o'clock,  and  if  need  be  an  hour  over,  to  vote  a  distinct  censure 
upon  them  :  but  he  hoped  thiit  tlieir  case  would  be  considered  in  a  sei)ar;ite  resolu- 
tion. At  tills  rate  they  would  have  to  include  city  corporations  and  all  otiicr  public 
agents  who  at  any  time  disregarded  the  sanctity  of  the  Lord's  day.  The  object  too 
plainly  was  to  defeat  the  resolution  by  making  it  tantamount  to  notiiing.  He  affirmed 
that  the  Congress  of  the  United  Slates  had  violated  the  consciences  of  the  American 
people.  They  were  in  the  theory  of  our  government  the  representatives  and  expo- 
nents of  the  will  of  the  nation.  It  was  they  who  were  to  shew  to  the  rest  of  the 
world  whether  we  were  or  were  not  a  Christian  people.  He  greatly  feared  that  our 
Conofressmen  assumed  it  as  a  first  principle  of  the  Constitution  that  we  were  not. 
Some  men  seeujt  d  to  suppose  that  in  the  structure  of  our  government  we  were  a 
people  williout  religion  of  any  kind :  and  unless  the  people  spoke  out  a  contrary 
sentnnent,  it  would  insensibly  and  by  prescription  become  the  law  of  the  land,  that 
the  people  of  the  United  States  were  no  more  a  Christian  than  they  were  a  .lewlsit 
people.  Such,  hajipily,  was  not  the  fact.  Our  fathers  founded  a  Ciirislian  republic. 
Christian  we  were,  and  Christian  we  should  insist  on  being  acknowledged  lo  be  by 
those  we  chose  to  rule  over  us. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bryan,  of  Pittsburg,  said  t!iat  his  mind  had  changed  a  little  since  this 
debate  conmienccd.  He  was  now  in  favor  of  the  amendment  pnnditig,  namely  to 
strike  out  "  National  Legislature  and  other  legislative  bodies,"  and  to  insert  "  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States."  They  were  here  as  a  National  Convention  :  but 
the  resolution  as  now  modified  by  the  mover  contem|)lated  the  action  of  State  Legis- 
latures. Now  in  all  the  States,  almost,  there  were  State  Conventions  on  the  subjei  t 
of  Sabbath  observance,  and  he  thought  that  they  could  act  more  appropriately  and 
more  elVicicntly  in  regard  to  State  evils.  But  national  evils  belonged  more  fitly  to 
the  action  of  this  body.  If  a  sin  had  been  perpetrated  by  (Congress,  let  the  Conven- 
tion say  so.  Again,  it  had  been  said  tliat  the  ol)joct  of  convening  this  assembly  wag 
to  manufacture  public  opinion:  how  could  this  belter  be  done  liian  by  speaking  out 


49 

their  own  opinions  ?  He  trusted  this  body  was  manuflicturing  public  opinion  as  it 
never  had  been  manufactured  before.  He  trusted  gentlemen  did  not  fear  to  do  it  with 
boldness,  though  at  the  same  time  with  all  becoming  respect.  Congress,  by  its  act  in 
violating  tlie  Lord's  day,  had  been  manufacturing  public  opinion  for  this  nation,  and 
in  a  most  powerful  way ;  a  way  the  most  likely  of  any  they  could  adopt  to  bring 
down  the  judgments  of  God  upon  our  land.  Why  should  not  this  Convention 
manufacture  opinion  in  the  opposite  direction?  He  hoped  they  would  do  it.  He 
hoped  they  would  speak  out,  plainly,  intelligibly,  distinctly,  yet  respectfully. 

Hon.  Mr.  Chambers,  of  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  said  that  he  felt  very  unwilling  unneces- 
sarily to  consume  the  time  of  the  Convention;  nor  would  he,  especially  at  this  late  hour, 
were  he  not  constrained  by  a  conviction  of  duly.  He  regretted  the  subject  had  not 
been  brought  forward  earlier.  What  was  proposed  by  the  resolution  as  now  modified 
by  its  author  1  to  declare  the  regret  of  this  body  that  Congress,  in  several  instances, 
had  continued  its  sittings  into  the  hours  of  tlie  Sabbath,  and  that  the  same  thing  had 
been  done  by  some  of  our  State  Legislatures.  This  latter  clause  was  objected  to  by 
some  gentlemen  for  want  of  more  evidence  of  the  fact,  and  it  was  on  that  ground 
among  others  now  proposed  to  strike  out  "  National  and  State  Legislatures"  and  substi- 
tute "the  Congress  of  the  United  Slates."  The  Congress: — what  was  Congress? 
the  House  of  Representatives  only  ?  No  :  it  included  the  Senate  also.  But,  as  thus 
ame.nded,  the  resolution  would  assert  that  both  the  House  and  the  Senate  had,  in 
several  instances,  continued  their  sittings  on  the  Sabbath.  Now  he,  for  one,  was  not 
prepared  to  assert  that :  and  he  should  be  very  unwilling  that  this  body  should  put 
forth  statements  which  might  turn  out  to  be  inconsistent  with  fact.  It  might  be  true 
that  the  House  of  Representatives  had,  in  some  instances,  continued  its  siltings  into 
the  hours  of  the  Sabbath.  But  the  resolution  as  amended  asserts  two  things  :  1st. 
That  both  houses  had  done  this :  and  2d.  That  in  so  doing  they  violated  the  Sabbath 
day.  Now  it  might  be  that  no  violation  was  committed  :  for  the  sittings  might  have 
been  necessary  and  unavoidable,  in  which  case  they  would  involve  no  breach  of  the 
divine  law.  He  could  readily  see  how  this  might  happen.  The  4lh  of  March,  for 
example,  might  be  the  Sabbath  (as  it  was  once  every  seven  years)  and  the  previous 
Saturday  must  of  course  be  the  last  week-day  in  the  session  and  in  that  Congress. 
Now  the  public  business  at  12  o'clock  on  Saturday  night  might  be  so  situated  that 
farther  time  was  indispensable  to  complete  the  work  of  necessary  legislation,  without 
which  the  wheels  of  the  Government  must  stand  still.  The  appropriation  bills,  as 
every  one  knew,  were  often  suspended  to  the  very  last  hour  of  the  session  :  and  un- 
less they  were  passed  the  public  obligations  could  not  be  met,  and  very  great  em- 
barrassment and  distress  must  necessarily  ensue  throughout  all  parts  of  the  Union. 
Mr.  C.  did  not  justify  such  a  posture  of  things  ;  nor  the  Sabbath  sittings  which  re- 
sulted from  it :  on  the  contrary  he  greatly  deplored  them.  He  well  knew  that  there 
was  much  in  our  National  Legislation  both  to  condemn  and  to  deplore,  on  the  si.t 
days  of  the  week  as  well  as  on  the  Sabbath  day.  In  some  cases  the  evil  was  the  act 
of  the  whole  Government :  the  Executive  participating  in  it,  as  well  as  the  two 
Houses  of  Congress.  This  was  the  case  when  bills  received  the  signature  of  the  Pres- 
ident on  Sabbath  morning. 

Mr.  C.  said  he  had  had  some  little  experience  on  this  subject :  but,  during  four  years 
in  which  he  sat  as  a  member  of  the  House,  it  happened  but  once  that  the  sittings 
were  continued  on  the  Sabbath  morning.  Ou  that  occasion  he  had  felt  it  his  duty  to 
withdraw,  though  he  stayed  perhaps  an  hour  after  midniglit.  He  could  easily  con- 
ceive, however,  a  case  in  which  there  might  lie  a  real  necessity  that  Congress  should 
sit  on  Sunday:  as  in  cases  of  sudden  invasion  or  insurrection.  Ho  hoped  this  body 
was  not  about  to  get  into  conllict  with  the  Government,  nor  to  do  any  act  which 
might  impair  the  prospect  of  its  furthering  the  object  for  which  it  had  been  convened. 

4 


50 

Mr.  C.  said  he  might  go  farther.  Tliere  was  a  law  of  Congress  now  in  force  which 
positively  icquircd  tlie  violation  of  ihe  Sabbath  :  he  referred  to  the  law  which  required 
all  the  Post  Otlices  in  the  United  States  to  be  opened  on  that  day.  The  Postmaster 
General  was  of  opinion  that  on  that  point  he  had  no  discretion  ;  and  all  the  office3 
were  opened  accordingly.  On  this  subject  it  had  been  deemed  expedient  not  to  me- 
morialize Congress,  but  rather  to  seek  to  influence  that  body  by  the  force  of  public 
sentiment,  lie  hoped  that  such  a  result  might  be  attained,  and  our  legislation  at 
length  be  so  modified  as  to  lead  to  a  better  observance  of  the  Lord's  day  throughout 
our  country. 

Rlr.  C.  concluded  by  observing  that  of  the  several  forms  of  the  resolution  which  had 
been  prepared  he  should,  himself,  much  prefer  that  proposed  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brainard. 
He  thought  it  went  just  far  enough,  and  he  was  prepared  to  vote  for  it,  if  an  oppor- 
tunity should  be  presented  to  do  so. 

Mr.  Slicer  rose  in  reply.  He  said  that  Congress  were  as  fully  informed  on  the  1st 
day  of  March  what  legislation  must  be  completed  before  the  4th,  as  they  were  when 
the  4tli  came,  and  ought  to  have  it  accomplished  without  trenching  on  holy  time. 
But  men  who  had  the  public  secular  business  to  attend  to  could  loiter  away  one  half 
of  Saturday,  and  then  borrow  six  hours  of  the  Sabbath,  to  make  up  for  tlieir  negli- 
gence. If  tlie  American  people  would  once  unite  and  show  to  the  menibers  of  Con- 
gress that  they  mujit  work  on  working  days,  and  get  their  work  done  on  those  days, 
or  meet  the  disapprobation  of  their  constituents,  his  word  for  it  they  would  have  all 
their  bills  passed  without  breaking  in  upon  the  Lord's  day.  Mr.  S.  said  he  could 
indeed  conceive  one  instance  in  which  it  would  be  lawful  to  sit  upon  the  Sabbath — 
and  that  was  the  case  of  a  sudden  invasion  of  the  country  by  a  foreign  power  :  in 
those  circumstances  it  might  be  indispensable  to  the  support  of  Government  and 
the  defence  of  the  countiy.  But  while  the  sessions  of  Congress  were  limited  by  the 
Constitution,  and  every  mcniber  knew  beforehand  when  his  time  for  labor  was  to 
come  to  an  end,  there  could  be  no  excuse  for  exceeding  it ;  for  Congress  had  power  to 
force  a  vote  on  any  pending  question  when  they  were  determined  to  get  the  question  : 
and  they  could  always  so  control  a  minority  as  to  prevent  delay.  All  the  picas  which 
had  here  been  urged  in  excuse  would  alike  justify  a  thousand  other  forms  of  Sabbath 
violation.  Mr.  S.  could  not  see  why  the  Convention  ought  not  to  speak  out,  and  say 
"  the  Congress  of  the  United  States."  This  was  the  ordmary  language  of  the  coun- 
try. The  workmen  on  our  canals  would  understand  it.  The  great  and  little  Sab- 
bath dealers  would  know  what  it  meant.  The  venders  of  spirits  would  comprehend 
it.  Few  of  those  who  were  personally  cognizant  of  what  was  done  at  Washington 
could  entertain  a  doubt,  that  Congress  did,  often,  not  to  s.ay  habitually,  disregard  the 
sanctity  of  the  Lord's  day. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Ycomaiis,  of  Philadelphia,  said  that  he  had  too  great  respect 
for  the  sentiment  which  pervaded  this  highly  respectable  body,  and  which  had  prompt- 
ed it  to  convene,  to  permit  himself  for  a  moment  to  believe  that  those  who  desired 
the  modification  of  the  pending  resolution  had  been  induced  to  take  the  part  they  had 
in  the  present  debate  from  the  least  feeling  of  timidity,  or  from  an  apprehension  of 
any  thing  relating  to  interest  or  power,  save  their  interest  in  whatever  was  good,  and 
their  power  to  accomplish  it.  Pie  was  entirely  confident  that  not  a  voice  had  been 
raised  on  that  floor  with  the  view  of  softening  the  language  of  tlio  resolution,  through 
any  fear  of  the  "  powers  that  be."  He  should  entertain  no  fears  of  the  practical  re- 
sult, should  the  resolution  be  even  withdrawnal  together,  after  the  expression  of  sen- 
timent which  had  here  been  reiterated  so  eloquently  and  in  such  a  good  spirit.  He 
thought  there  was  not  the  least  danger  of  their  being  thought  to  cower  befoie  public 
sentiment  or  any  public  body  : — but  ho  had  observed  tiic  signs  of  that  delicacy  of 
feeling  which  made  all  desirous  of  rather  feeling  than  forcing  their  way,  not  to  the 


51 

seats  of  power,  but  to  the  hearts  of  a  free  people, — where  alone  the  principle  of  Sabbath 
consecration  must  live.  If  it  would  please  the  Convention  to  accept  the  form  of  an 
amendment  which,  with  all  respect  for  those  excellent  friends  on  all  sides  of  him  who 
had  advocated  with  so  much  force  and  eloquence  theoiiginal  resolution,  he  had  ventur- 
ed to*  prepare,  he  believed  it  would  gratify  a  large  number  of  the  members  present.  Hia 
reasons  for  thinking  so  were,  1st.  That  it  would  shew  tliat  they  did  not  expect  to 
carry  their  end  by  the  employment  of  any  pecuhar  language  la  the  course  of  what 
had  been  said  he  had  heard  tiie  word  "  legislation''''  escape,  as  applied  to  the  acts  of 
this  Convention :  it  must  have  been  through  inadvertence.  They  were  not  legislating; — 
nor  denouncing; — nor  rebuking  any  body.  They  were  endeavoring  to  reach  tlie 
heart  of  this  great  nation,  and  to  plant  and  cherisli  there  the  principle  of  the  cheerful 
and  voluntary  sanctification  of  the  Lord's  day.  Ue  would  also  pass  the  reso-lution  in 
ets  modified  form,  that  it  might  exhibit  to  the  world  the  principles  on  which  they 
were  acting.  They  had  come  up  to  this  place  that  they  might  encourage  and  stimu- 
late eacli  other  to  awaken  tlioir  affections  round  the  principles  which  all  professed  to 
hold.  They  came  not  to  discuss  theories  of  the  Sabbath,  or  modes  of  its  consecra- 
tion ;  nor,  mainly,  to  devise  new  ways  of  promoting  its  observance.  Tlieir  work 
was  here:  it  was  before  them,  en  the  spot,  as  the  blessed  Saviour  had  said,  tlie  king- 
dom of  God  was,  emphatically,  within  them.  This  was  true  of  their  whole  en- 
terprize : — its  beginning  and  its  end  were  both  within  them.  Their  work,  as  a  Con- 
vention, was  begun  and  must  be  finished  here.  He  did  not,  indeed,  disclaim  the  ex- 
pectations of  results  of  great  magnitude,  whether  on  the  principles  of  huuian  nature, 
or  on  the  ground  of  a  divine  co-operation.  Still  it  was  not  as  a  Convention  that 
they  were  to  witness  the  results  of  their  present  labors. 

He  felt  that  an  elevation,  even  an  exultation,  of  spirit  had  been  awakened  by 
this  assembly  :  a  most  delightful  impression  had  been  made  on  many  minds.  As  a 
mere  matter  of  prudence,  however,  as  a  question  of  expediency  and  of  duty,  he 
should  prefer  tiiat  tlie  Cenvenlion  express  itself  rather  in  a  commendatory  than  a 
■denunciatory  spirit. 

Rev.  Mr,  Eken,  of  Alleghany  Co.,  Pa.,  said,  he  had  not  been  able  to  discover  the 
force  of  the  objections  against  the  resolution,  as  proposed  to  be  amended  by  substitut- 
ing the  words  "  Congress  of  the  United  States."  The  gentleman  from  Cliambersburg 
had  opposed  it  on  tlie  ground  that  botli  Houses  of  Congress  had  not  participated,  so 
far  as  evidence  went,  in  the  violation  complained  of.  Admitting  that  they  had  not, 
Congress  as  a  body  v/as  one.  The  rosclution  did  not  charge  Congress  with  violat- 
ing the  Sabbath:  it  merely  expressed  regret  that  they  had  carried  their  sittings  into 
the  hours  of  that  day.  He  thought  that  the  remarks  which  had  been  offered  in  sup- 
port of  the  original  resolution  furnished  a  satisfactory  answer  to  the  objections.  He 
had  rejoiced  in  it  when  he  heard  it  fir.'Jt  presented,  as  I  he  most  important  wliich  had 
come  before  the  body.  Here,  in  his  apprehension,  was  a  great  evil,  respecting  which 
they,  as  a  Sabbath  Convention  assembled  from  all  the  States,  were  called  upon  to 
express  their  sentiments.  As  to  the  acts  of  State  Legislatures,  they  could  be  noticed 
afterward,  in  a  separate  resolution,  bul  he,  for  one,  should  be  sorry  to  return  to 
his  constituents  and  tell  them  that  the  Convention  had  done  nothing  in  relation  to 
60  great  and  flagrant  an  act  of  Sabbath  violation.  He  did  not  consider  it  expedient 
to  petition  Congress  to  legislate  in  enforcing  Sabbath  observance  :  but  he  was  in 
favor  of  speaking  to  them  as  to  public  servants.  Sucii  they  were.  And  a  nation 
was  as  much  bound  to  see  tliat  its  servants  kept  holy  the  Lord's  day  as  an  individual 
was.  The  commandment  ran,  "  In  it  thou  shalt  do  no  manner  of  work  :  thou,  nor 
Ihy  man  eereant.''''  Here  was  a  case  in  which  the  servants  of  this  nation  had  dis- 
obeyed that  commandment,  and  we  as  a  People  were  called  to  rebuke  them. 

*  Dr.  Yeomans  did  not  hand  a  resolution  to  the  Secretary.     The  Committee  of 
Publication  are  under  the  impression  that  Dr.  Y.  advocated  Mr.  Brainard's  resolution. 


52 

Mr.  Keener,  of  Bailimore,  said,  that  there  was  one  objection  in  liis  mind  againat 
▼cling  for  the  resolution.  He  believed  he  felt  as  little  hesitation  as  any  man  iu 
speaking  his  sentiments  in  plain  language:  but  he  could  not  but  think  that  tlie  Con- 
vention departed  from  the  line  of  its  duty,  and  from  the  spirit  of  the  object  which 
had  convened  it,  when  it  undertook  to  pass  votes  of  censure.  If  they  once  began  that 
business,  where  were  they  to  end  ?  They  must  go  through  all  reprehensible  acts  of 
all  our  various  public  bodies,  and  then  come  down  to  all  breaches  of  the  Sabbath  by 
individuals.  It  might  be  leplied,  perhaps,  to  them,  as  it  was  said  to  some  of  old, 
"  Let  him  that  is  without  sin  among  you  cast  the  first  stone."  They  were  present 
here  that  they  might  embody  great  truths,  and  not  to  censure  particular  bodies  of 
men.  Their  legitimate  object, — and  it  was  a  great  and  a  noble  one, — was  to  act  as 
a  great  moral  heart  in  the  midstof  our  widely  extended  population,  whose  pulsations, 
under  the  power  of  truth,  and  in  furtherance  of  the  truth,  sliould  be  felt  to  the  re- 
motest extremities  of  the  body  politic.  We  might,  to  be  sure,  declare  that  the  acts 
of  the  National  Legislature  in  intruding  on  the  Lord's  day  were  deserving  of  general 
reprobation:  but  what  point  would  they  gain  by  that?  Members  of  Conorress  were 
men  like  themselves  :  they  were  not  always  blameless  in  their  conduct :  but  votes 
of  censure  were  not  in  his  apprehension  the  most  likely  way  to  correct  the  evil. 
When  the  God  of  all  holiness  would  bring  David  to  a  sense  of  his  sin,  it  was  not  by 
a  message  of  denunciation  and  threatening,  but  by  one  of  the  most  gentle,  yet  melt- 
ing, parables  that  the  Bible  contained,  and  when  the  offending  monarch  heard  the 
prophet  exclaim  "  thou  art  the  man"  his  reply  was  "  J  have  sinned  against  the 
Lord." — Mild  language  might  move  their  minds  and  lead  them  to  reform  their  way ; 
but  the  tones  of  reproof  might  operate  to  counteract  the  very  object  sought  to  be 
attained. 

Mr.  Childs  moved  to  lay  the  resolution  and  amendment  on  the  table.  He  found 
it  was  the  opinion  of  wise  and  leading  members  of  the  Convention  that  they  should 
jeopardize  the  useful  influence  it  might  otherwise  exert  by  pressing  the  subject 
further.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Nott  had  prepared  a  substitute,  in  wiiich  Mr.  C.  entirely 
concurred.  It  was  believed  that  this  would  be  in  conformity  with  the  tenor  of 
the  preceding  resolutions  already  adopted,  all  of  which  had  been  commendatory, 
and  not  expressive  of  regret  or  censure.  The  name  of  the  author  of  this  substitute 
would  of  itself  be  a  tower  of  strength. 

T)ie  motion  of  Mr.  Cliilds  was  agreed  to:  the  resolution  of  Dr. 
Boardman,  as  modified  by  himself,  together  with  the  amendments 
which  iiad  been  proposed  to  it,  were  laid  on  the  table :  and  the 
question  being  on  the  adoption  of  the  following  substitute  by  Dr. 
Nott,— 

Whereas  the  due  observance  of  the  Lord's  day  is  in  the  judg- 
ment of  this  Convention  binding  on  all  men  as  well  when  acting  in  a 
public  and  official  as  in  a  private  and  individual  capacity,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  it  be  respectfully  and  carneslly  recommended  to 
all  legislative  bodies,  whether  State  or  National,  to  give  the  sanc- 
tion of  their  example  to  its  observance  by  avoiding  all  ordinary 
sittings  for  business  on  that  day. 

Dr.  Boardman  expressed  his  regret  that  the  rules  of  the  body  required  the  ques- 
tion on  laying  upon  the  table  to  be  taken  without  debate.  No  vote  of  this  Conven- 
tion had  excited  in  his  mind  as  much  regret  as  that  just  taken.  There  had  been,  as 
he  supposed,  a  general  expression  in  favor  of  the  original  resolution  and  also  of  tlie 
amendment,  and  no  gentleman,  so  far  as  he  had  heard,  had  avowed  an  entire  change 
of  his  conviction  since  the  last  adjournment :  yet  now,  after  so  far  diluting  the  for- 
mer resolution  as  to  render  it  unacceptable  to  many,  the  body  was  called  on  to  drop 


53 

it,  and  adopt  another  which  wholly  omitted  all  allusion  to  the  great  national  sin 
which  had  been  committed,  wliich  exceeded  in  enormity  and  in  its  pernicious  influence 
any  other  form  of  Sabbath  violation  which  had  as  yet  been  animadverted  on.  There 
were,  as  had  justly  been  observed,  various  ways  of  killing  an  obnoxious  resolution 
besides  openly  assailing  and  |)utting  it  down.  It  had  again  and  again  been  objected 
that  the  resolution  would  be  likely  to  involve  the  Convention  in  some  sort  of  collis- 
ion or  controversy  with  the  National  Legislature  :  and  as  there  was,  and  ought  to 
be,  a  great  deal  of  sensitiveness  on  that  subject,  Dr.  B.  had  waited  with  anxiety, 
but  in  vain,  to  hear  some  of  the  objectors  take  up  and  analyze  the  resolution  and 
point  out  how  it  was  to  cause  this  dreaded  collision.  He  thought  the  argument  em- 
ployed would  be  as  apposite  to  almost  any  other  resolution  as  to  this:  but  a  bad  name 
had  been  given  to  it,  and  under  the  influence  thus  created  the  resolution  had  been 
Jaid  upon  the  table.  He  repeated  it,  that  while  this  body  had  been  convened  ex- 
pressly to  consider  the  existing  desecrations  of  llie  Sabbath  day,  and  while  the  mem- 
ory of  the  members  had  been  taxed  and  explored  to  bring  up  various  forms  in  which 
the  sacredness  of  the  day  had  been  violated,  going  down  even  to  the  little  boys  who 
rode  our  canal  horses,  and  to  tlie  apple-pedlars  and  candy-sellers;  while  the  voice  of 
the  Convention  had  been  raised  against  the  assaults  upon  the  Sabbath  on  our  rivers 
and  canals,  and  rail  roads  and  stage  lines, — was  this  great,  prominent  and  overpower- 
ing instance  of  public  desecration,  and  that  by  men  in  the  highest  stations,  to  be 
passed  by  witii  nothing  more  than  a  vague  generality  1  with  a  resolution  which 
might  as  well  be  applied  to  any  other  legislative  body  in  the  wide  world  1  He  ut- 
terly protested  against  withholding  all  expression  of  opinion  against  this  flagrant 
form  of  Sabbath  profanation.  He  protested  against  it  as  an  American  citizen,  having 
a.  title  in  the  soil : — because  God  was  a  righteous  God,  and  because  it  had  been  writ- 
ten on  the  history  of  laatiens  by  the  finger  of  God  himself,  that  no  sin  so  certainly 
brought  down  the  indignation  of  an  offended  Deity  as  this  very  sin  of  Sabbath 
breaking.  He  need  not  cite  instances :  tliey  were  famihar  to  the  minds  of  all  around 
him — seen  and  known  of  ail  men.  Tiic  members  of  the  Convention  were  here  to 
unite  their  influence  and  exert  it  to  the  uttermost  in  the  Sabbath  cause.  They  were 
the  makers  of  our  law-makers,  and  as  such  in  a  large  degree  responsible  for  their 
acts.  This  was  a  representative  government,  and  surely,  if  God  regarded  the  acts 
of  even  the  most  despotic  governments  and  visited  even  to  annihilation  tlie  sins,  not 
of  the  people,  but  of  tbeir  rulers,  in  whose  appointment  they  had  no  agency,  what 
cause  had  Americans  to  look  for  his  visitations,  should  they  refuse  to  lift  their  testi- 
mony against  the  offences  of  rulers  whom  they  had  themselves  created  ?  Tlie  ques- 
tion, let  it  be  remembered,  stood,  now,  on  a  different  footing  from  what  it  did  at 
first.  The  subject  had  now  been  mooted  :  it  had  been  called  up  for  the  animadver- 
sion of  this  Sabbath  Convention,  and  the  body  had  been  called  upon  by  some  of  the 
most  venerable  and  intelligent  of  their  members  to  express  its  opinion  in  regard  to 
it.  A  resolution  had  been  off'ered  simply  expressing  the  deep  regret  of  this  body 
that  Congress  should  have  continued  its  sittings  into  the  sacred  hours  of  the  Sabbath. 
Should  the  whole  suljject  be  now  tiirown  out,  without  action  of  any  kind,  what  must 
be  the  effect  1  It  was  now  too  late  to  arrest  the  discussion:  the  influence  of  what 
had  already  been  said  must  go  forth  to  all  the  winds.  And  if  the  fact  should  go 
abroad  that,  after  spending  four  or  five  hours  in  debating  the  question,  a  majority  of 
those  present  deliberately  refused  to  say  a  word  about  the  matter,  what  would  be  the 
inference  in  all  minds?  what  would  bo  the  impression  created  on  the  infidelity  and 
irreligion  of  the  country  ?     He  need  not  say. 

Dr.  B.  said  he  was  not  surpassed  by  any  in  his  veneration  for  the  author  of  the 
substitute  now  before  the  Convention  :  yet  he  could  not  but  ask  himself,  and  ask  all 
•■ho  heard  him,  what  was  its  import?  it  was  simply  a  recommendation  to  all  the 


54 

legislatures  of  llic  world  to  abstain  from  violating  the  Sabbath  day.  Did  it  contain 
the  remotest  allusion  to  what  had  been  done? — none — not  the  slightest.  It  moved, 
to  use  the  language  of  anotlier,  in  a  sphere  "sublimely  remote"  from  all  connexion 
with  our  national  rulers — [Dr.  Eddy  corrected  this  allusion  to  his  speech — what  he 
had  said  was,  that  "the  Convention  occupied  a  position  sublimely  remote  from  all 
conflict  with  our  national  lulers."] — exactly  :  and  so  it  would  be  interpreted  by  those 
christians  who  had  been  praying  for  years  past  against  the  desecration  of  the  Sabbath, 
sanctioned  as  it  was  by  the  example  set  frem  time  to  time  in  the  very  halls  of  our 
National  Legislature.  The  resolution  certainly  was  "  infinkely  renisle"  from  ali 
conflict  with  this  public  and  flagrant  iniquity.  And  had  it  come  to  this?  that  a  col- 
lection of  christian  delegates,  convened  from  all  parts  of  the  land  expressly  to  consider 
the  lengtii  and  breadth  of  this  enormity,  should  lay  their  hand  upon  candy-sellers- 
and  apple-pedlais,  and  yet  be  so  very  decorous  and  sO'  very  respectful  tiiat  tln-y  could 
not  say  they  felt  regret  tliat  Congreaa  ahauld  have  violated  tlie  sanctity  of  the  Sab 
bath  day.  He  would  Hot  longer  detain  the  house,  but,  ia  justice  to  himself  and  to  a 
large  class  of  his  fellow  delegates  who  had  urged  the  adoption  of  the  resolution,  he 
must  move  a  re-consideration  of  the  vote  by  which  it  had  been  laid  upon  the  table. 

The  question  being  put,  the  house  divided; — but  had  to  be 
counted  three  times  before  the  result  of  the  vote  could  be  ascer- 
tained, when  the  chair  declared  it  to  be  carried. 

-  Dr.  Boardman  now  moved  to  take  up  the  resolmtion  and  amend- 
ment. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to: — and  the  question  being  on  tlie 
amendment — "Congress  of  the  United  StJttes"  it  was  agi'eed  to.. 

The  question  then  recurring  on  the  resolution  as  amended,  (See 
resolution  on  page  46.) 

Hon  Rlr.  Denny,  of  Pittsburg,  said  that  it  was  with  great  reluctance  he  rose  at  this 
hour  to  detain  the  Convention  :  nor  should  he.  l«ive- prevailed  on  himself  to  attempt 
it,  but  for  the  deep  impression  he  felt  as  to  the  effect  upon  the  cause  which  the  res- 
olution, if  now  adopted,  was,  in  his  judgnTent,  likely  to  produce.  There  were- 
three  diflierent  sentiments  entertained  on  this  floor  respecting  the  propriety  of  ap/- 
proaching  Congress  upon  the  subj.ect  refei  red  to.  Some  were  disposed  to  pass  a  vole 
of  direct  censure  upon  that  body:  others,  in  favor  ©f  deckrlrig  the  regret  icll  by 
the  Convention  at  its  course  :  while  yet  a  third  party  preferred  a  conciliatory  course^ 
with  a  view  of  obtaining  the  aid  of  Congress  in  promoting  the  Sabbath  cause. 
Which  of  these  was  the  most  important  ? — Should  the  Convention  go  up  and  pitv- 
nouncc  its  censure  upon  Congress  for  what. they  had  done,  when  their  course  had 
already  been  rebuked  by  the  press,  rel-igious  and  secular,  and  tiie  expression  of  the 
public  reprobation  had  rung  from  gne  end  of  the  land  to  the  other?  What  could  this 
body  do  but  reiterate  what  had  already  been  said? — And  as  to  the  jioint  pressed  so 
pei.sevcringly  by  the  author  of  the  resolution,  viz.,  a* declaration  of  the  regret  felt 
by  the  Convention,  he  would  a.sk  him  and  all  others  what  they  supposed  Coiigres.i 
would  care  for  their  regrets?  .If  Ihcy  could  be  so  bold  against  God's  Law,  the  dis- 
approbation of  a  body  like  this  would  only  excite  a  smile.  Was  it  not  more  im- 
portant to  the  friends  of  the  cause  in  the  halls  of  Congress  that  the  Convention 
should  adopt  a  conciliatory  course  calculated  rather  to  strengthen  their  (fibrts  in  obf 
taining  a  reform  ?  Under  the  conviction  that  this  was  the  wisest  couise  he  was  pre- 
pared to  vote  for  the  substitute  proposed  by  Dr.  Noll,  but  nmsl  oppose  the  adoption 
of  that  now  before  the  Convention.  It  had  once  been  laid  on  the  table  with  a  view 
to  introdnre  a  substitute  in  more  conciliatory  terms :  he  hoped  it  would  not  now 
be  adopted  :  we  wanted  if  possible  to  obtain  the  aid  and  co-opciation  of  Congress  In 


55 

reforming  public  sentiment  and  pmifying  tke  national  morals.  Was  this  likely  to 
be  obtained  by  harsh  and  condemnatory  lesolutionsl  He  had. been  struck  by  the  ref- 
erence to  the  case  of  tiie  offending  Monarch  of  Israel.  Nathan  did  not  approach 
him  with  regrets  and'.condonmatioii-'but  with  words  soft  and  penetrating,  under 
which,  conscience  struck,  he  at  once  confessed  his  sin  and  humbled  hmiself  befor  God 
and  man.  Let  us  take  a  lesson  from  tiiis  lovely  and  instructive  example  :  let  us  go 
to  our  rulers  in  the  same  spirit ;  let  us  hold  out  the  expression  of  our  sentiments  in 
language  so  moderate,  so  carefully  guarded,  that  none  could  object.  He  hoped 
the  Convention  would  retrace  its  steps.  It  was  in  contemplation  to  appoint  anotiier 
Sabbath  Convention  at  the  seat  of  Government,  during  the  meeting  of  Congress:  he  de- 
sired that,  if  they  should  conclude  upon  such-a  measure,  a  healing,  conciliating  influence 
should  go  before  them :  this  would  ensure  theni  a  better  reception  than  resolutions  of 
regret  or  votes  of  censure.  Mr.  D.  knew  that  there  were  some  there  ready  to  go 
heart  and  hand  in  advancing  all  that  the  Convention  most  desired  :  some  of  whom 
had  most  reluctantly  participated  in  the  sittings  which  had  been  holden  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  Lord's  day,  and  others  who  like  his  friend  from  Chambersburg  had  retired 
from  the  hail  and  refused  all  participation  in  the  scene.  Let  the  Convention  adopt 
such  a  course  as  would  strengthen  their  hands,  and  secure  to  themselves  such  a  re- 
ception at  Washington  as  should  be  spread  through  the  land  and  exert  a  healthful 
influence  in  favor.of  the  general  cause.  He  hoped  the  Convention  would  consent  to 
take  up  the  resolution  prepared  by  Dr.  Nott,  and  pass  it. 

Mr.  Childs  said,  that  if  we  were  here  in  a  difl'erent  capacity,  he  might  be  willing 
to  "shew  spunk"  and  having  once  espoused  a  resolution  carry  it  nolens  volens  in  the 
face  of  all  opposition.  But  they  were  here  present  as  christians,  met  to  promote  a 
christian  cause.  And  what  good  woiild  it  do  to  that  cause  to  pass  a  resolution 
which  should  leave  this  Convention  divided  into  parties.  He  put  it  to  men  who 
feared  God  and  loved  the  Sabbath.  Wiiat  good  could  it  possibly  .do  to  adopt  a  res- 
olution with  but  half  the  body  in  its  favor  ?  -The  most  calamitous  consequences 
muet  ensue,  should  the  Convention  adjourn  in  a  divided  state.  He  would  make  an 
appeal  to  the  Convention  to  consent  to  let  the  resolution  rest,  and  not  to  urge  it 
through  against  the  minds  of  so  large  a  minority.  If  it  was  a  political  body  it  might 
be  worth  while  to  achieve  a  party  triumph  ;  but  this  was  quite  another  scene.  He 
would  therefore  venture  once  more  to  move  to  lay  the  resolution  and  amendment 
on  tile  table  with  a  view  to  take  up  tiiat  drawn  up  by  Dr.  Nott. 

Dr.  Nott  said,  that  the  state  of  his  health  was  such  that  he  had  not  intended  to 
say  a  word,  nor  had  he  expected  that  his  name  v^ould  be  mentioned  as  having  drawn 
up  the  paper  which  had  been  offered.  He  had  prepared  it  under  the  impression  that 
it  would  be  a  great  blessing  could  tlie  Convention  unite  and  adjourn  in  a  state  of 
entire  unanimity.  When  he  perceived  that  there  prevailed  a.  division  of  sentiment 
in  the  body  he  silently  prepared  the  draft  of  a  resolution  in  the  hope  of  giving  har- 
mony to  its  action.  He  had  understood  that  the  late  venerable  President  of  the 
Convention  had  expressed  tlie  opinion  that  the  resolution  as  at  first  presented  went 
rather  too  far,  and  suggested  a  doubt  as  to  the  correctness  of  th<?  facts  on  which  it 
proceeded.  Dr.  N.  felt  reluctant  that  the  Convention  should  put  forth  to  the  world 
what  might  not,  on  examination,  be  found  to  be  true,  viz.  that  both  Houses  of  Con- 
gress had  violated  the  Sabbath  witiiout  necessity.  He  was  aware  that  the  language 
of  love  was  always  attended  witii  more  power  than  that  of  rebuke,  and  he  believed 
that  the  latter,  especially  when  proceeding  from  a  body  divided  in  opinion,  was  likely 
to  be  attended  with  no  good  efl'oct.  He  would  therefore  express  a  humble  hope  that, 
unless  the  Convention  could  act  with  unanimity,  "it  would  forbear  to  act  at  all.  If 
they  determined  to  pass  any  resolution  on  the  subject,  let  them  at  least  exercise  cau- 
tion Dot  to  be  convicted  of  error   in  point  of  fact.     Possibly  the  body    whom  it  was 


56 

desired  to  censure  was  not  now  in  being.  Besides,  he  did  not  think  it  the  appropri-ate 
duty  of  this  assemblage  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  any  body  :  but  rather  to  efliect  such 
a  concentration  of  opinion  as  should  reach  with  effect  the  halls  of  legislation.  As  a 
body  of  professed  Christians,  unless  they  should  be  well  united,  they  had  better  pass 
no  resolution  at  all. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Stockton,  of  Philadelphia,  tl>en  took  the  6oor.  He  had  been  well 
pleased  with  many  of  the  sentiments  and  not  less  with  the  general  spirit  of  the  Conven- 
tion. But  there  was  one  tiling  he  had  witnessed  which  deserved  a  passing  allusion.  It 
seemed  to  be  thought,  in  some  quarters  of  the  house,  that  olher  members  of  the  body 
were  afraid  honestly  to  express  tlieir  sentiments.  It  had  been  announced  by  some  gen- 
tlemen in  reply  that  they  were  influenced  by  no  such  feeling  ;  and  he  had  no  doubt  the 
same  disclaimer  might  with  great  truth  be  made  by  all.  Neither  minister  nor  layman 
here  present  would,  he  was  very  sure,  hesitate  one  moment,  when  duty  called,  to  say 
to  the  Speaker  of  the  House,  or  to  the  President  of  tl>e  Senate,  or  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States  lirmseH",  seated,  tho'  he  might  be,  in  the  midst  of  the  Executive 
mansion,  "Thou  art  the  man."  But  why  were  they  not  afraid  to  do  thisi  was  it 
because,  like  the  men  of  the  world,  they  fostered  in  their  bosoms  that  mere  animal 
courage  which  prompted  its  possessor  to  deeds  of  ciuelty  and  blood  1  nay,  nay,  nay, 
he  trusted  that  no  such  spirit  was  to  be  found  within  these  waHs.  The  boldness 
which  swelled  a  christian's  breast  was  high,  holy,  heavenly.  It  was  the  boldness  of 
those  who  being  "  inade  perfect  in  lote,"  knew  no  fear  of  aught  upon  the  earth,  or 
in  the  universe.  It  would  meet  death  without  dismay:  it  would  hover  even  in  the 
dim  clouds  which  overhang  the  mouth  of  hell,  without  alarm.  It  would  be  fearless 
amid  all  the  solemnities  of  the  judgment: — "  because,  as  lie  is,  so  arc  we  in  this 
world,"  He,  tlio  God  of  love  in  heaven,  wc,  the  creatures  of  love  upon  the  earth. 
Christianity  knew  neither  high  nor  low  :  in  her  presence  nothing  was  high,  notliing 
low.  Like  the  sun  in  tho  Ireight  of  heaven,  which  shone  alike  upon  the  snow  clad 
pinnacles  of  the  Alps  in  their  grandeur,  and  upon  the  placid  lake  whose  faint  ripple 
died  upon  the  sand  at  their  feet,  heaven-born  and  iieaven-descended,  to  her,  all 
earthly  inequalities  were  as  nothing,  and  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity.  He  saw 
great  force  rn  the  remark  made  by  the  venerable  author  of  the  pending  resolution, 
(Dr.  Nott,)  and  which  was  followed  up  with  so  much  effect  by  one  of  the  Secreta- 
ries of  the  Convention,  (Mr.  Denny,)  that  there  was  much  power  in  unanimity. 
Penetrated  willi  a  conviction  of  this  truth,  he  had  been  encouraged  to  submit,  in  yet 
one  more  form,  a  resolution  which  he  hoped  might  embody  sentiments  in  which  all 
could  urfite.  It  had  been  written  especially  with  a  view  to  strengliien  the  hands  of 
those  men  in  Congress  who  had  taken  a  stand  in  behalf  of  the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath 
day  :  it  was  couched  in  terms  neither  of  regret  nor  censure,  but  of  commendation. 

Mr.  S.  tlicn  read  the  following: 

Resolved^  That  this  Convention  hereby  respect  fully  tenders,  to 
such  members  of  Congress  as  iiave  attempted  to  prevent  the  dese- 
cration of  the  Lord's  day  by  the  unnecessary  extension  of  legisla- 
tive action  into  sacred  time,  its  unanimous  commendation ;  and  fur- 
ther expresses  the  hope  that  similar  ellbrts  hereafter  will  be  sus- 
tained by  a  majority  of  their  jionorable  body. 

Dr.  Eddy  thereupon  moved  that  the  resolution  now  pending  be 
laid  on  the  table,  with  a  view  lo  the  unanimous  adoj)tion  of  that 
which  had  just  been  submitted. 

Dr.  }k)artiman  said  he  would  j)revent  the  necessity  of  that  motion 
by  most  cordially  adopting  the  resolution  as  a  modification  of  his 
own. 


67 

The  question  was  then  put,  and  the  resolution  moved  by  Mr. 
Stockton  was  adopted  unanimously. 

The  following  report  was  then  read  and  adopted  and  the  Com- 
mittee discharged. 

"The  Committee  on  Enrollment  have  fulfilled  the  duty  assigned  them, 
and  have  registered  the  names  of  six  hundred  and  eighty-five  delegates 
out  of  the  city  of  Baltimore.  In  consequence  of  not  being  able  in  all 
cases  to  ascertain  the  precise  number  of  each  delegation  in  attendance 
in  the  Convention,  the  committee  think  that  the  number  present  should 
be  estimated  at  about  six  hundred. 

"Tlie  number  of  delegates  from  the  city  of  Baltimore  is  eleven  hun- 
dred and  eleven,  most  of  whom  have  been  in  attendance  some  portion 
of  th©  time  during  the  sittings  of  the  Convention. 

RECAPrrULATION. 

Delegates  out  of  the  city  of  Baltimore,  say      -         -         600 
Delegates  from  the  city  of  Baltimore,  -         -  1,111 

Total, *1,711 

"The  Committee  would  further  state,  that  the  delegations  comprise 
representatives  from  eleven  different  States,  and  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia. FIELDER  ISRAEL,  Chairmanr 

Baltimore,  November  28fh,  1844. 

Di\  Eddy  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  from  the  Convention  to  those 
proprietors  of  steam  boats  and  rail  cars  who  had  furnished  such 
liberal  facilities  to  members  in  reaching  the  place  of  the  Conven- 
tion 

The  resolution  was  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Mr.  Danforth,  moved  that  the  thanks  of  the  Convention  be 
given  to  the  Hon.  Judge  Hall  for  the  able  and  impartial  manner  in 
which  he  had  performed  the  duties  of  the  chair. 

The  question  was  put  by  Dr.  Nott  and  carried. 

The  Convention  then  adjourned  sine  die. 

The  session  was  closed  with  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stockton. 

r.T;  G.   HAMNER, 
B.  KURTZ, 
Committee  of  Finance  and  Pxiblicatioh.  {  FIELDER  ISRAEL, 

I  CHAS.  W.  RIDGELY, 
[r.  G.  ARMSTRONG. 

*  The  apparent  number  is  ratlier  greater :  but  an  allowance  for  those  twice  dele- 
gated will  reduce  it  to  very  nearly  the  number  given  above. 

Jfote  by  Committee  of  Publication, 


APPENDIX. 


STATISTICS. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  tlie  Committee  of  Correspondence  of  the  Baltimore 
Sabbath  Association,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  accurate  information  as  to  the  ex- 
tent to  which  the  Sabbath  day  was  observed  or  desecratcdjn  the  United  States,  for  tlie 
use  of  the  National  Convention,  addressed  the  following  Circular  to  prominent 
gentlemen  in  almost  every  State  in  the  Union  : 

1.  What  Railroads  or  Canals,  stages  or  steamboat  lines  are  in  operation  in  the 
State  or  section  of  country  in  which  you  reside  1  What  is  their  extent? 

2.  Are  they  used  upon  the  Sabbath  for  the  carriage  either  of  passengers  or 
merchandize  ? 

3.  If  so,  what  ratio  does  the  Sabbath  travel  and  transportation  bear  to  that  of  the 
other  days  of  Uie  week  1  and  what  are  the  relative  receipts? 

4.  Is  the  transportation  of  the  mail  assigned  as  a  prominent  reason  for  the  Sabbath 
use  of  any  of  these  modes  of  conveyance  ? 

6.  Do  the  proprietors  deem  their  employment  on  the  Sabbath  to  be  profitable  in  a 
pecuniary  view  1 

6.  Are  the  proprietors  willing  or  unwilling  to  discontinue  Sabbath  travel  on  their 
lines? 

7.  What  are  the  sentiments  of  those  employed  on  these  routes,  touching  the  sus- 
pension of  Sabbath  labor  ? 

8.  Has  the  carriage  either  of  passengers  or  merchandize  on  the  Sabbath  been  dis- 
continued on  any  of  these  routes?  If  so,  to  what  extent?  And  what  have  been  the 
consequences,  Ist,  in  reference  to  the  morals  of  those  employed  ;  2d,  in  reference  to 
the  pecuniary  results? 

9.  What  is  the  present  state  of  public  sentiment  in  your  vicinity,  in  respect  to  the 
observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  compared  with  that  of  former  years  ? 

10.  Have  any  special  efiofts  been  made  to   promote  its  sanctification  ?    and  with 

what  success  ? 

r^        ■„       r  n  1  f  CHAS.  W.  RIDGELY, 

Committee  of  Corresjwndcnce,   >  ..  yy    j,,    cAU'ri.^u 

Baltimore  Sabbath  Association,   /wMCiFO    RM'fV' 
Baltimore,  Sept.  24th,   1844. 

The  response  wliich  this  Circular  elicited  was  not  so  general  as  was  desired  :  yet 
much  information  was  accumulated  and  laid  before  the  Convention.- 

Commnnicalions  were  leceived  from  30  distinct  sources,  all  casting  light  upon  the 
Bubjoct-maltors  of  the  interrogatories.  They  wete  found  too  extensive  for  pul)lica- 
tion  entire  among  the. proceedings,  and  were  referred  by  the  Connnittcc  of  Publica- 
tion, to  the  undersigned  to  prepare  an  abstract 

A  portioTi  of  these  letters,  having  come  to  hand  before  the  silling  of  the  Conven- 
tion, were  referred  to  a  committee,  con.sisling  of  Bishop  Waugh,  Dr.   Edwards,  and 


59 

■Rev.  Mr.  Powell;  wlio  submitted  the  following  report,  which  was  read  to  the  Con- 
vention : 

"  The  Executive  Committee  of  the  Baltimore  Society  for  promoting  the  observance 
of  the  Lord's  day,  among  other  objects  adopted  for  tiie  accomplishment  of  this  im- 
portant purpose,  addressed  to  sundry  persons,  residing  in  various  sections  of  the 
Country,  a  circular  propounding  certain  questions  requesting  information  in  regard 
to  statistics  connected  with  the  Sabbath  question.  They  regret  that  a  few  answers 
only  have  been  received,  and  most  of  them  of  limited  range  in  regard  to  the  in- 
quiries presented  in  their  Circular.  But  however  limited  and  imperfect  the  report 
may  be,  they  feel  bound  to  offer  to  tha  "  National  Convention  for  the  promotion  of 
the  due  observance  of  tlie  Christian  Sabbath"  assembled  in  the  Ciiy  of  Baltimore, 
the  information  tliey  have  thus  obtained. 

"  Letters  have  been  received  from  the  States  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Dela- 
ware, Maryland,  South  Carolina  and  Ohio,  embracing  a  considerable  extent  of 
public  highway  travelled  by  means  of  railroads,  stages,  steamboats,  and  canal  pac- 
kets. On  most  of  the  routes  concerning  which  they  have  received  information,  in 
addition  to  the  carriage  of  passengers  and  merchandize,  the  United  States  mail  is 
transported  by  means  of  one  or  other  of  said  modes  of  conveyance.  It  is  gratifying 
to  learn  from  this  correspondence  that  there  are  several  routes  over  which  by  express 
stipulation  of  contract  the  mail  is  not  carried  on  the  Holy  Sabbath.  On  such  routes 
it  is  not  usual  to  find  either  cars  or  stages  occupied  in  the  conveyance  of  passengers 
and  merchandize  on  the  hallowed  day  of  rest.  It  is  otherwise  in  regard  to  steamboats 
and  canal  boats.  They  continue  to  be  extensively  used  for  the  conveyance  of  pas- 
sengers and  merchandiza  in  violation  of  Law,  Human  and  Divine.  It  is,  however, 
but  justice  to  say,  (and  they  record  it  with  mucli  pleasure,)  that  there  are  some 
honorable  exceptions  to  this  general  desecration  of  the  Sabbath  among  the  public 
carriers  of  our  country.  Several  of  the  answers  given  by  correspondents  furnish 
ciieering  hope  tiiat  many  of  lliis  class  of  enterprising  and  useful  men  are  not  only 
willing,  but  desirous  to  a!)andon  the  course,  hitherto  pursued,  of  keeping  their  opera- 
tives and  liorses  employed  to  their  great  detriment  by  depriving  them  of  that  day  of 
rest  so  kindly  assigned  to  them  by  their  benevolent  Creator.  The  tone  of  public 
sentiment  is  daily  becoming  more  healthy  on  this  subject,  and  tlie  consequence  is 
that  Sunday  travelling  is  decreasing  ,to  such  an  extent  as  to  abridge  materially  the 
pecuniary  result  which,  doubtless  has  been   the  leading  motive  for  its  continuance. 

"One  of  those  correspondents,  writing  from  Pennsylvania,  says,  "  1  am  a  public 
carrier  myself,  and  am  exceedingly  an.xious  to  see  tlie  time  when  all  our  sins  on  our 
public  works  shall  be  stopped  on  the  Sabbath,  for  many  reasons,  first,  because  it  is  a 
violation  of  the  Law  of  God  in  transporting  goods  or  passengers  on  this  day:  and 
secondly,  it  is  depriving  those  who  are  employed  in  the  work  from  improving  their  minds 
and  attending  upon  tiie  preaciied  word" — He  adds,  "from  the  knowledge  I  have  of  some 
the  owners  of  tiie  linos  on  our  public  works,  they  could  easily  b'e  induced  to  suspend 
travelling  on  the  Sdbbath,  if  there  should  be  a  proper  effort  made  by  those  who  have 
taken  the  subject  in  hand.  But  all  should  come  into  the  measure  at  one  time." 
He  remarks  farther,  "  1  think  it  should  not  be  in  vain  should  the  Convention  make 
an  appeal  to  our  Western  meichants  and  induce  them  not  to  patronize  any  line  that 
will  not  observe  the  Sabbalii.  There  are  a  large  number  of  merchants  who  en- 
courage those  lines  which  lie  by  on  the  Sabbath,  and  I  doubt  not  many  hundreds 
could  easily  be  iinduced  to  do  likewise.  All  we  want  on  this  subject  is  light."  In 
immediate  connexion  with  this  quotation,  it  may  be  well  to  submit  a  short  extract 
from  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Committee  by  a  gentleman  in  Ohio.  He  says,  "  The 
Ohio  river  is  an  immense  tiioroughfare,  and  is  yearly  becoming  more  and  more  so. 
Multitudes  will  pursue  their  journey  on  the  Sabbatli,  so  long  as  the  means-arc  in  their 


60 

reach.  I  believe  that  it  has  been  satisfactorily  ascertained,  that  a  very  large  portion 
(more  than  one  half)  of  the  mercantile  interest  of  Pittsburg,  Cincinnati,  Louisville, 
and  the  intermediate  ports,  is  owned  or  under  the  control  of  professing  christians. 
This  being  the  case,  when  they  say  that  they  will  ship  by  Sabbath  keeping  boats,  a 
necessity  will  be  created  for  a  Sabbath  keeping  line.  Till  that  is  done,  I  fear  that 
no  such  line  will  exist."  He  adds,  "  As  a  merchant  I  am  ready  and  desirous  to 
come  into  such  an  arrangement." 

"  It  is  not  a  little  gratifying'to  lay  before  the  National  Convention,  an  extract  from 
a  communication  of  the  Agent  of  the  Baltimore  Steampacket  Company,  in  which 
he  says,  "It  is  with 'much  pleasure  I  can  inform  you  that  the  Baltimore  Steam- 
packet  Company  runs  a  daily  line  of  Steamboats  between  Baltimore  and  Norfolk, 
leaving  each  place  every  day  (except  Sabbath).  That  they  carry  the  United  States 
mail  for  the  lower  part  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  under  the  stipulation  of  not 
using  the  Sabbath  day — that  the  Company  have  prospered  under  this  arrangement."- 
He  adds,  "  they  avoid  all  labor  of  officers  and  crews  on  the  Sabbath  day,  thereby  giv- 
ing many  of  them  who  are  pious  an  opportunity  of  attending  the  Lord's  sanctuary 
on  that  day  which  he  has  set  apart  for  his  glory."  Perhaps  it  may  not  be  inad- 
visible  to  remark,  (although  it  does  not  grow  out  of  any  correspondence,  or  any 
other  communication  than  the  public  prints,)  that  two  steamboat  lines  between  Bal- 
timore and  Philadelphia,  both  except  the  Sabbath  in  their  otherwise  daily  trips. 

"  But  this  communication  must  be  terminated.  Before  doing  tiiis,  however,  it  will 
be  interesting  to  state,  as  gathered  from  the  various  answers  furnished  to  the  Com- 
mittee's Circular,  that  the  attention  of  the  American  community,  particularly  its 
religious  portion,  is  becoming  much  more  awakened  and  enlisted  in  this  vital  question, 
and  the  hope  is  most  ardently  cherished,  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  the  due 
observance  of  God's  holy  day  sliall  be  a  distinguishing  feature  in  the  moral  character 
of  the  American  family.  The  Committee  cannot  close  this  brief  reference  to  their 
correspondence,  without  requesting  the  ear  of  the  National  Convention  for  two  com- 
munications in  extenso,  which  they  have  received.  One  is  from  Mr.  W.  H.  Barn- 
well, Secretary  of  the  Charleston  Society  for  promoting  the  due  observance  of  the 
Lord's  day.  The  other  is  from  the  Hon.  Willard  Hall  of  Delaware.  They  are 
valuable  and  interesting  because  of  the  frank  and  full  reply  they  furnish  to  the 
inquiries  which  were  made  in  the  Circular:  and  in  these  respects  they  may  serve  as 
models  for  subsequent  answers  to  similar  inquiries,  showing  as  they  do,  great  care 
and  diligence  on  the  part  of  their  authors  in  collecting  and  reporting  the  information 
sought  to  be  obtained  by  the  Executive  Committee.  That  of  Judge  Hall  particularly 
merits  attention  because  it  sets  forth  Laws  of  Delaware,  and  tiie  firmness  of  its 
Magistracy  in  their  enforcement  in  regard  to  the  Holy  Sabbath,  in  a  maimer  highly 
creditable  to  the  State,  its  officers,  and  its  comnumity,  thus  affording  an  example 
worthy  the  imitation  of  the  country  at  large.  The  Connnittec  will  add  but  one 
more  remark  ;  the  entire  correspondence  i.s  at  the  service  of  the  National  Convention 
should  it  be  desired  in  greater  detail. 

"  Most  respectfully  submitted, 

BEVERLY  WAUGII, 
On  behalf  of  the  CommiUee." 
Baltimore,  J^ov.  21lh,   1844. 

NEW  JERSEY. 

The  only  communication  which  has  been  received  from  this  State  is  a  letter  from 
J.  P.  Jackson,  Esq.,  Secretary  of  the  New  Jersey  Rail  Road  and  Transportation 
Company. 


61 

Office  of  the  New  Jersey  Rail  R.oad  and  Transport atiok  Compant, 

^Tovtmber  21  ih,  1844, 
To  the  President  of  the  J\''ational  Lord^s  Day  Convention  now  silting  at  Ballimore  ; 
Dear  Sir, — 

In  pursuance  of  my  instructions,  I  transmit  to  you  the  annexed  Resolution,  passed 
unanimously  by  our  Board  of  Directors  this  day. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  P.  JACKSON, 
Secretary  ..Yew;  Jersey  Rail  Road  and  Transporlalion  Company. 

Resolved,  That  this  Company  will  run  no  train  of  cars  on  the  Sabbath,  except  in 
connection  with  the  transportation  of  the  mail,  as  at  present ;  and  that  they  will  run 
no  train  on  the  Sabbath,  provided  the  United  States  will  dispense  with  the  mail  ser- 
vice on  that  day. 

For  the  following  abstract  of  many  letters  from  Pennsylvania  we  are  indebted  to 
the  Rev.  O.  S.  Powell,  General  Agent  of  the  Pennsylvania  Sabbath  Association, 
who  has  also  furnished  the  statement  in  reference  to  Ohio. 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

1st. — There  are  in  this  Slate,  551  miles  of  navigable  canals  owned  by  the 
Stale,  and  561  miles  belonging  to  private  companies,  and  about  681  miles  of  rail 
road. 

The  principal  steamboat  navigation  is  on  the  Delaware  and  Ohio  rivers. 

2nd.  None  of  the  rail  roads  belonging  to  the  State,  and  few  if  any  of  those  owned  by 
companies,  are  used  for  the  transportation  of  merchandize  on  the  Sabbath.  All  those 
belonging  to  the  State,  and  a  pait  of  those  belonging  to  companies,  transport  travel- 
lers on  that  day.  All,  or  nearly  all,  the  collier  roads,  amounting  to  149  miles,  are 
not  used  on  the  Sabbath.  Other  roads  amounting  to  219  miles  are  not  used  on  that 
day.*     Total  368  miles. 

On  the  main  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  canal,  extending  from  Columbia  to  Holli- 
daysburg,  and  from  Johnstown  to  Pittsburg,  and  on  the  Union  canal  from  Middle- 
town  to  Reading,  nearly  all  the  transportation  boats  stop  upon  the  Sabbath.  The 
packets  run  on  that  day. 

The  united  length  of  these  canals  is  360  miles.  The  Conestoga  canal,  18  miles  in 
length,  is  not  used  upon  the  Sabbath. 

On  nearly  all  the  other  canals,  especially  the  most  extensive  of  those  owned  by 
companies,  the  Sabbath  is  sadly  desecrated  by  the  running  of  boats. 

A  few  steamboats  both  on  the  Ohio  and  Delaware  rivers  do  not  run  on  that  day. 
The  Sabbath  is  excepted  in  the  running  of  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  statres  in 
this  Slate. 

3rd.  The  ratio  of  Sabbath  to  week-day  travel  is  probably  less  than  one-half,  and, 
on  one  at  least  of  the  most  important  routes,  has  been  steadily  diminishing  since  the 
State  Convention  in  May  last. 

4lh.  Most  of  the  rail  road  companies  that  continue  to  run  their  cars  on  t!ie  S.ib- 
bath,  assign  the  carrying  of  the  mail  and  the  rivalship  between  the  different  routes 
as  the  prevailing  reasons.  The  latter  cause  prevails  Vv'ilh  the  proprietors  of  the 
packets;  though  the  opinion  is  generally  expressed,  that,  if  mails  were  discontinued 
on  the  Sabbath,  all  would  agree  to  stop. 

*The  Philadelphia  and  Pottsvillc  Road,  the  Sabbath  use  of  which  is  to  be  discon- 
tinued on  the  tirst  of  December,  is  included  in  tiiis  estimate.  That  portion  of  the 
Susquehanna  road  lying  in  Maryland,  amounting  to  36  miles,  is  not  included. 


62 

5lh.  With  the  exception  of  some  of  the  private  canal  companies,  and  tlie  pioprielors 
of  the  sliort  rail  roads,  used  for  carrying  pleasure  parties  on  the  Sabbath,  the^'  do  not. 

(Question  6th.  See  answers  4th  and  5th.) 

7th.  Almost  universally  in  favor  of  it,  and  some  of  them  manifest  a  deep  anxiety 
on  tiie  subject.  An  engineer,  in  conversation  with  the  General  Agent  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, said,  "  I  have  been  six  years  on  the  rail  road  ;  during  this  time  I  have  had  no 
Sabbatli.  I  toould  tcHlinglij  give  six  months  ivages  if  Ihe  runnivg  of  the  cars  could  be 
slopped  on  that  Jni/."  A  lock  tender,  who  at  first  treated  a  missionaiy  of  the  Asso- 
ciation coolly,  when  he  learned  that  one  object  of  his  mission  was  to  induce  all  who 
were  engaged  on  the  canal  to  rest  on  the  Sabbath,  raised  both  hands  and  exclaimed, 
"  God  grant  that  you  may  succeed."  An  orphan  driver  boj'  said  to  tlie  General 
Agent,  "  We  do  not  know  when  Sunday  comes.  Its  very  hard  Sir,  to  work  as  wo 
do  here." 

8th.  Tfie  change  has  been  highly  beneficial  to  those  emplo3'ed,  especially  t'.ie  boat- 
men. Crime,  according  to  the  testimony  of  experienced  judges  of  criminal  courts, 
has  greatly  diminished  among  them — the  Bible  is  found  in  almost  every  boat — many 
of  the  boatmen  attend  public  worship  where  they  stop  to  spend  the  Sabbath — not  a 
few  have,  within  the  last  two  years,  united  with  the  various  evangelical  churches, 
and  adorn  the  professions  they  have  made. 

The  proprietors  of  those  lines,  that  have  discontinued  Sabbath  labor,  are  highly 
pleased  with  the  arrangement  in  every  respect,  and  although  those  who  first  adopted 
the  measure  suffered  some  little  loss  in  the  commencement,  yet  on  the  whole  it  is 
believed  they  iiave  done  as  well  as  any  of  their  neighbors. 

9lh  and  10th.  The  Pittsburg  Sabbath  Association  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  United 
States,  and  has  exerted  a  beneficial  influence  in  that  city  and  its  vicinity.  The  Phila- 
delphia Sabbath  Association  was  formed  in  October,  1841.  Through  the  labors  of 
their  Agent  and  missionaries,  bil)lcs,  testaments,  and  tracts,  have  been  placed  in  the 
hands  of  boatmen,  travellers  and  immignints. 

Associations  have  been  formed  in  numerous  cities  and  towns,  by  which  the  influ- 
ence of  the  pulpit,  and  of  the  press,  both  secular  and  religious,  has  been  more  fully 
exerted  in  favor  of  this  cause,  than  in  any  former  period  in  the  hislor}'  of  the  State. 
Tracts  have,  in  various  ways,  been  circulated,  showing  the  utility,  as  well  as  the 
duty  of  the  Sabbath  rest.  These  have  arrested  the  attention,  and  produced  a  salu- 
tary conviction  in  the  minds  of  business  men,  as  well  as  in  the  various  classes  of 
laboring  men.  One  highly  interesting  and  numerously  attended  Slate  Convention 
has  been  held,  and  more  recently  six  county  Conventions,  at  which  systematic  efforts 
were  made  to  have  the  efforts  which  have  been  so  successfully  made  in  the  large 
towns  extended  to  every  neighborhood  in  the  respective  counties.  As  these  county 
meetings  can  be  assembled  with  but  little  expense  of  time  or  mone}',  it  is  highly  de- 
sirable they  should  be  held  in  all  parts  of  the  State,  and  we  would  ardently  hope, 
that  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  all  the  people  of  tliis  great  commonwealth  shall 
be  convinced  of  the  unspeakable  benefits  of  a  sanctified  Sabbath — when  a  good  Sab- 
bath manual  shall  be  found  in  every  family — and  the  youth  especially  impressed  with 
the  conviction,  that  neither  their  own  nor  their  country's  prosperity  can  be  secured, 
or  perpetuated,  unless  this  holy  day  is  hallowed. 

DELAWARE. 
The  following  letter  is  the  only  one  received  from  Delaware:  for  this  reason,  and 
because  it  abounds  with  matter  of  general  interest,  it  is  inserted  entire. 

t^nsxcers  to  queries  proposed  by  the  Comtuiltee  of  Coii'esjjondence  of  the  Baltimore 

Sabbath  ^Association  in  their  Circular  of  Sept.  24lh,  1 844. 
1.     There  are  in  operation  in  this  State,  the  Philadelphia,  'Wilmington  and  IJalti- 
tnore  Rail  Road,  the  Newcastle  and  Frenchtown  I'uriipike  and  Rail  Road,  a  line  of 


63 

steamboats  between  Wilmington  and  Philadelphia,  running  daily,  and  in  the  Sum- 
mer and  [)art  of  the  Spring  and  Fall,  three  times  a  day,  a  line  of  steamboats  between 
Salem,  New  Jersey,  and  Philadelpliia,  touching  daily  at  Delaware  city  and  Newcas- 
tle in  this  State,  a  daily  line  of  Stages  from  Wilmington  to  Milford,  and  thence  three 
times  a  week  down  the  peninsula  to  its  extreme  point,  and  the  Chesapeake  and  Del- 
aware Canal. 

2.  Neither  of  these  means  of  conmiunication  is  used  upon  the  Sabbath  for  tho 
carriage  either  of  passengeis  or  merchandise,  except  the  Philadelphia,  Wilmington 
and  Baltimore  Rail  Road,  and  except  also  that  boats  laden  with  perishable  articles 
(such  as  fish  and  oysters)  are  allowed  to  pass  the  Canal  on  Sabbath;  which  rarely 
happens. 

3.  There  is  no  carriage  of  merchandise  on  the  Philadelphia,  Wilmington  and  Bal- 
timore Rail  Road  on  the  Sabbath;  and  the  ratio  of  passengers,  the  agent  informs 
me,  is  not  one  tenth  of  what  it  averages  on  week-days. 

4.  The  transportation  of  the  mail  is  the  prominent,  indeed  it  is  obviously  the  only 
reason  for  the  use  of  the  Philadelphia,  Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Rail  Road  on  the 
Sabbath.  On  week- days  the  mail  line  on  this  road  leaves  Philadelphia  at  8  o'clock, 
A.  M.,  or  earlier,  and  passes  through  Wilmington  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  or  earlier, 
and  the  line  that  leaves  Baltimore  in  the  morning  passes  through  Wilmington  from  1 
to  2  o'clock,  P.  M.  On  Sabbath  the  mail  line  leaves  Philadelpliia  at  4  o'clock,  P. 
M.,  passes  Wilmington  about  6,  and  leaves  Baltimore  about  7  P.  M.,  and  passes 
Wilmington  about  )  1  P.  M.  No  other  line  is  run  on  Sabbath  on  this  road  ihan  this 
mail  line  :  these  hours  are  not  accommodated  to  passengers:  they  entirely  avoid  ex- 
cursions from  Philadelphia  to  Wilmington,  and  the  reverse,  which  would,  if  favored, 
be  a  most  abundant  occasion  of  Sabbath  desecration.  There  is  on  this  rail  road,  on 
week-days,  an  accommodation  line  between  Wilmingtcm  and  Philadelphia,  once  a 
day,  and  for  part  of  the  season  oftener :  this  is  not  run  on  Sabbath. 

6  and  6.  1  can  give  no  other  answer,  than  my  inference  from  the  preceding  state- 
ment :  this  will  be  obvious  to  any  one. 

8.  All  these  lines  of  communication  have  formerly  been  used  on  tlio  Sabbath,  the 
same  as  on  other  days  without  distinction  :  excepting  from  this  assertion  the  line  of 
steamboats  between  Salem  and  Philadelphia,  concerning  which  in  connexion  with 
this  matter  I  have  no  knowledge. 

A  law  of  this  State  passed  in  1795,  prohibits,  under  penalty  of  ^4,  worldly  em- 
ployment, labor  and  business  on  the  Sabbath,  except  works  of  necessity  and  charity, 
and  gives  to  Justices  of  the  Peacfe  cognizance  of  the  offence.  By  enforcing  this  law 
upon  the  Newcastle  and  Frenchtown  Turnpike  and  Rail  Road,  five  years  or  more 
ago,  the  Sabbath  use  of  that  road  was  stopped,  and  has  continued  so  till  this  time, 
except  for  carriage  of  mail  when  it  may  have  passed  on  that  line.  By  enforcing  the 
same  law  upon  the  Chesapeake  and  Delaware  Canal,  the  Sabbath  use  of  the  canal 
was  stopped  about  18  months  ago,  and  continues  so,  as  before  mentioned.  There 
are  regular  daily  lines  of  .boats  tiirough  the  canal,  for  conveyance  both  of  passengers 
and  freight ;  but  they  rest  on  the  Sabbath.  Coasting  vessels  passing  through  the 
canal  do  not  pass  on  the  Sabbath  ;  captains  and  crews  not  unfrequently  are  seen  in 
the  house  of  worship.  Last  year  there  being  two  lines  of  steamboats  and  tiie  rail 
road  cars,  between  this  place  and  Philadelphia,  in  opposition,  fare  was  reduced  to  12i 
cents.  An  excursion  to  this  place  was  an  inviting  Sunday  recreation  to  very  numei-- 
ous  persons  in  Philadelphia  ;  the  steamboats  and  cars  running  on  the  Sabbath  as  on 
other  days.  The  Mayor  was  applied  to,  requesting  him  to  enforce  this  law  of  the 
State  against  the  captains  and  crews  of  the  steamboats.  He  complied  ;  and  they 
finding  that  he  was  determined  to  enforce  the  law,  submitted ;  and  since  June  of  last 
year,  the  Sabbath  here  has  been  preserved  from  the  use  of  steamboats,  and  accommo- 
dation cars  on  the  rail  road. 


64 

There  was  opposition  in  all  these  cases  to  the  enforcing  of  our  law.  It  3'ielded  to 
the  firmness  of  the  magistrates;  and  public  opinion  has  sustained  them. 

There  were  persons  in  Wilmington  much  opposed  to  the  stopping  of  the  steam- 
boats on  Sabbath.  They  endeavored  to  evade  the  effect,  by  procuring  a  change  of 
the  hour  of  arrival  of  the  Pliiladeipliia  mail  on  the  Sabbath,  so  that  instead  of  arriv- 
ing at  6  o'clock,  P.  M.,  it  should  arrive  at  the  same  hour  on  Sabbath  as  on  week- 
days, viz.,  10  A.  M.  The  mail  from  Baltimore  then  arrived  here  about  1  o'clock, 
P.  M.  If  the  change  could  be  procured,  the  cars  of  the  mail  line  would  leave  Phila- 
delphia about  8  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  might  bring  all  persons  desirous  of  such  Sunday 
recreation,  who  after  continuing  here  from  10  to  1,  could  return  in  the  mail  line 
from  Baltimore.  We  understood  a  petition  for  this  change  was  preferred  to  the  Post- 
master General :  a  remonstrance  staling  the  facts,  was  prepared,  and  very  numerous- 
ly signed  by  our  people,  shewing  a  decisive  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  preserving 
the  Sabbath  from  this  kind  of  desecration. 

The  line  of  stages  is  not  used  on  the  Sabbath;  this  use  ceased  on  the  regulations 
of  the  post  office  department  not  requiring  the  conveyance  of  the  mail  on  that  day 
upon  this  line. 

It  IS  believed,  that  public  sentiment  in  this  place  and  neighborhood,  is  decisively 
against  the  profanation  of  the  Sabbath.  It  is  believed,  tiiat  this  would  have  been  the 
case  in  former  years,  when  the  Sabbath  was  generally  desecrated  by  the  running  of 
stages,  steamboats,  &c.,  if  there  had  been  a  call  upon  the  public,  so  that  they  would 
have  made  up  their  opinions  upon  the  subject. 

Would  not  the  enforcement  of  state  laws  prohibiting  worldly  employment,  labor 
and  business  on  the  Sabbath,  upon  canals  and  rail  roads  in  other  states,  produce  the 
same  effect  there  as  herel  Jt  would  have  been  tlie  common  opinion  in  this  state,  pre- 
vious to  tlie  actual  execution  of  our  Sabbath  law  and  to  the  consequences  upon  it, 
that  what  has  in  fact  taken  place  could  not  be  accomplished.  Is  there  a  state  in  the 
union  with  a  law  prohibiting  worldly  business  on  the  Sabbath,  whose  Legislature 
would  repeal  iti  Would  they  not  shrink  from  such  an  act  as  the  positive  repeal  of 
such  a  law?  Every  community  has  a  right  to  have  its  laws  faithfully  executed: 
the  magistracy  is  provided  for  insuring  to  them  this  right :  a  faithful  and  firm  magis- 
tracy will  always  be  sustained  in  executing  the  laws. 

9.  It  is  believed,  that  public  sentiment  is  growing  upon  the  subject  of  Sabbath  ob- 
servance. 

10.  There  was  a  Sabbath  Convention  at  Delaware  city  about  the  first  of  last  Jan- 
uary. The  weather  was  unfavorable,  the  roads  bad,  and  the  attendance  small.  It  is 
said  the  influence  was  good  :  how  extensive  I  cannot  learn. 

Several  years  ago,  when  petitions  were  presented  to  Congress  against  Sabbath 
mails,  the  subject  was  elaborately  discussed  in  the  newspapers  of  this  place.  The  re- 
sult has  been,  as  I  believe,  very  useful.  At  the  time  the  entire  community,  with 
rare  exceptions,  seemed  against  us.     There  is  certainly  change. 

WILLARD    HALL. 

Wilminston,  Del,  Oct.  ISlh,  1S44. 

MARYLAND. 

1st  and  2nd.  The  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail  Road,  extending  wci-lwardly  to  Cum- 
berland, 180^  miles,  runs  one  passenger  and  mail  train  each  way  on  the  Sabbath.  A 
branch  extends  40  miles  to  Washington,  D.  C,  on  which  the  mail  and  passenger 
cars  pass  twice,  each  way,  on  the  Sabbath.  The  Philadcl|)hia  and  Baltimore  Rail 
Road,  100  miles  long,  conveys  the  mail  and  passengers  once  each  way  on  the  Sabbath. 
Neither  of  these  lines  conveys  merchandize  on  the  Sabbath,  with  perhaps  some  rare 
exceptions.  'J'he  Baltimore  and  Susqucliarnia  Rail  Road  extends  3G  miles  to  the  Penn- 
sylvania   State    line,    awd   connects   with   other  roads  extending   through   Yoik  to 


65 

Wrightsviile,  a  distance  in  all  of  10  miles.  "  Tiiese  roads  have  never  been  used," 
says  Mr.  Hollins,  the  Secretary  of  the  Baltimore  and  Susqueiianna  Rail  Road,  "for 
the  transportation  of  merchandise  on  tiie  Sabbath.  Tlie  passenger  trains  run  on  tliat 
day,  from  tiie  opening  of  these  roads  until  April,  1841,  when  they  were  stopped." 

The  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal,  134  miles  in  length  from  Dam  No  6  to  George- 
town, D.  C,  with  a  branch  1  miles  long  to  Alexandria,  D.  C,  conveys  no  passen- 
gers. The  freight  boats  use  it  all  days  alike.  The  same  facts  are  true  in  reference 
to  the  Tide  Water  Canal. 

In  the  season  of  navigation  there  are  a  number  of  steamboat  lines  to  Philadelphia, 
Xoifolk  and  many  points  in  the  State  of  Maryland.  None  of  these  boats  start  on 
the  Sabbath ;  it  is  thought  one  or  two  of  them  run  on  Sabbath  morning  several  houra 
to  reacli  their  destination.  It  is  believed  that  every  stage  line  in  the  State  lies  by  on 
Sabbath,  excepting  those  between  Baltimore  and  Washington,  and  the  Eastern  Shore 
mail  line. 

Srd.  It  will  be  seen  by  a  former  statement,  that  the  ratio  of  passenger  travel  on  tlie 
Baltimore  and  Philadelphia  Rail  Road  on  the  Sabbath,  is  far  inferior  to  what  it 
averages  on  other  days.  On  the  Susquehanna  "  the  receipts  formerly  for  way  travel 
were  in  excess:  subsequently,  the  receipts  were  less  than  on  other  days.  Since  the 
closing  of  the  road  on  Sunday,  there  has  been  an  evident  increase  on  Saturdays  and 
Mondays."  The  relative  ratio  for  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  and  Baltimore  and  Wash- 
ington Rail  Roads  has  not  been  ascertained.  But  the  amount  of  travel  on  the  for- 
mer must  be  considerably  less,  as  a  number  of  passenger  and  burden  trains  run  each 
way,  during  the  week,  and  but  one  on  the  Sabbath,  which  is  restricted  to  passengers 
and  the  mail.     The  cars  are  not  so  well  filled  on  the  Sabbath  as  on  other  daj's. 

4th.  Were  it  not  for  the  mail,  it  is  thought  that  none  of  these  rail  roads  would 
desecrate  the  Sabbath.  "  On  the  Susquehanna  Rail  Road,  the  running  of  care  on 
the  Sabbath  was  suspended  soon  after  the  Postmaster  General  reduced  the  trans- 
portation of  the  mail  to  six  days  and  the  pay  one-seventh." 

5tli,  Gth  and  Tth.  No  definite  information. 

8th.  The  Secretary  of  the  Susquehanna  Rail  Road  Company  states,  "  It  has  been 
the  aim  of  the  Company  to  select  sober  and  industrious  persons,  intemperance  always 
causing  immediate  dismissal,  and  in  the  second  place,  I  am  informed  that  there  has 
been  an  evident  improvement  in  the  morals  of  the  persons  engaged  on  the  road. 

"  In  reference  to  the  pecuniary  results,  it  is  impossible  to  give  an  estimate.  There 
is  a  saving  in  the  wear  and  tare  of  the  machinery,  cars  and  road,  but  no7ie*  in  the 
wages,  for  in  closing  the  road  on  the  Sabbath,  the  wages  of  those  relieved  from  their 
duties  were  not  reduced.  It  is  probable  some  slight  loss  may  occur  in  the  u'dy,  but 
none  in  the  through  travel. 

"  In  my  opinion  the  additional  receipts  the  Company  might  derive  from  running  on 
the  Sabbath  would  not  equal  the  amount  now  saved  in  fuel  and  wear  and  tare  of  the 
road  and  machinery,  and  1  therefore  believe  that,  on  the  whole,  the  Company  sustains 
no  loss  whatever  by  not  running  tlieir  cars  on  that  day." 

9th.  A  very  favorable  change  is  evident  in  the  sense  of  the  community  respecting 
the  sanctity  of  the  Lord's  day.  This  is  evident  from  tbe  perusal  of  tiie  advertise- 
ments of  the  rail  road  and  steamboat  companies ;  in  all  of  which,  with  one  exception, 
there  is  a  cessation,  in  whole  or  part,  of  work  on  that  day.  "  On  the  Tide  Water 
Canal,  there  has  been  a  gradual  decrease  of  transportation  on  that  day  since  the 
opening  of  it  five  years  ago.  And  there  appears  to  be  a  general  wish,  on  the  part  of 
the  boatmen  to  discontinue  it." 

•Men  who  work  seven  days  in  the  week,  it  will  bo  observed,  get  no  more  wages 
than  if  they  worked  six. 


66 

In  Baltimore  county  the  Jime-burners  have  in  general  ceased  to  fire  tlieir  kilns 
on  Friday  or  Saturday,  as  was  the  custom  some  years  since. 

lOlh.  Special  efforts  have  been  made  in  various  ways  to  promote  the  sanctification 
of  the  day.  The  pulpit  lias  to  an  unusual  extent  enforced  its  observance  upon  the 
consciences  of  the  people.  A  Sabbath  Association  has  been  formed  in  Baltimore; 
which  has  gotten  up  a  State  Convention,  in  which  Delaware  and  the  District  of 
Columbia  participated  ;  held  several  public  meetings;  j)rocured  the  delivery  of  sundry 
discourses  or  lectures,  and  many  sermons,  and  arranged  for  the  delivery  of  a  course  of 
lectures  on  tlie  subject  by  the  President  of  the  Association ;  sustained  a  monthly  con- 
cert of  prayer  ;  availed  itself  of  the  medium  of  the  newspapers,  religious  and  secular, 
in  circulating  facts  bearing  upon  tiie  cause;  distributed  many  tracts  on  the  subject; 
has  now  in  course  of  publication  a  very  interesting  appeal  to  the  Legal  Profession, 
by  Judge  Hall,  of  Delaware,  containing  a  lucid  exposition  of  tlie  scriptural  sanction 
and  varied  personal  blessings  of  the  Sabbath ;  has  procured  memorials  very  numer- 
ously signed,  urging  the  rail  road  companies  to  discontirrue  the  running  of  passenger 
and  burden  cars  on  the  Sabbath,  &c.  &c.  A  Branch  Association  has  been  formed  for 
Baltimore  County,  and  others  are  expected  to  follow.  Much  good  is  expected  to  be 
accomplished  in  the  present  year.  The  effect  of  the  late  Is'atiunal  Convention  has 
been  salutary  beyond  our  exj)eclations. 

DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA. 
From  a  letter  addressed  to  us  by  W.  T.  Compton,  Esq.  of  Georgetown,  containing 
information  concerning  the  Cliesapeake  and  Ohio   Canal  inserted   under  the  head  of 
Maryland,  we  extract  the  following  paragraph,  which  merits  profound  consideration. 
"  There  have  been  no  special  efforts  made  to  promote  the  sanctification  of  the  Sab- 
bath, except  by  those  connected  with  our  Sabbath  Schools. 

"  I  believe  these  to  be  the  n.urseries  of  those  pure  principles  which  are  calculated  to 
produce  the  permanent  moral  revolution  which  is  now  sought.  How  important, 
then,  that  they  sliould  be  duly  fostered  by  all  classes  of  the  community.  Parents 
and  others  should  take  more  interest  in  these  institutions.  Let  every  child  of 
suitable  age  be  brought  into  the  "  Sabbath  School ;"  lot  the  superintendents  and 
teachers  be  pious  intelligent  persons ;  let  them  realize  their  responsibility  to  their 
people  and  their  God,  and  then  many  would  look  for  the  day- when,  from  one  end 
of  liiis  highly  favored  land  to  the  other,  the  Sabbatli  will  be  sanctified  to  the  service 
of  tlic  Lord." 

SOUTH  CAROLINA. 
The  following  information  is  derived   from    Rov.  \V.  H.  Carnwell,  Corresponding 
Secretary  of  the  Charleston  Sabbatli  Ai^sociation. 

1st.  '{'here  is  but  one  rail  road  in  this  State.  The  South  Carolina  Rail  Road,  be- 
longing to  a  Company  bearing  the  same  name — in  which  the  Slate  is  a  very  largo 
stockholder.  It  reaches  from  Charleston  to  Hamburg  on  tlie  Savannah  river,  a 
distance  of  136  miles.  One  of  its  branches  runs  to-  Columbia,  the  cajiital  of  the 
Stale,  a  distance  of  about  6S  miles. 

There  is  but  one  Canal  about  30  miles  in  longlii — called  the  Santee  Canal,  and 
owned  by  a  company  bear^ig  the  same  name. 

678  miles  of  stage  routes  cross  the  State  in  various  directions,  and  extend  a  few 
miles  into  North  Carolina  and  Georgia. 

Four  steamboats  run  daily  between  this  city  and  Wilmington,  North  Carolina, 
carrying  the  mail.  Four  run  every  other  day  between  this  port  and  Savannah. — 
Two  of  them  do  not  run  on  the  Sabbath — the  others  do,^accordiiig  to  circumstances. 
One  boat  runs  from  this  port  to  Ceorgetown  in  this  Stale,  on  all  days  of  the  weeks. 
Three  other  boats  run  into  the  interior,  on  all  days  of  the  week.  Two  boats  run  to  Sul- 
livan's Island,  a  summer  retreat  in  our  harbor,  every  day  duiing  the  summer  months. 


67 

2nd.  Most  of  these  modes  of  conveyance,  it  will  have  been  already  sliown,  are 
used  on  tlie  Sabbatli  as  on  otlier  days. 

3d.  There  is  reason  to  fear  llial  liiere  is  little  or  no  difference  between  the  ratio  of 
the  Sabbath  travel  and  transportation  and  tiiat  of  other  days,  and  tliat  receipts  are 
about  the  same. 

4th.  Tiie  transportation  of  tlie  mail  is  assigned  by  the  South  Carolina  Rail  Road 
Ciinipany  as  a  prominent  reason  tor  the  Sabbath  use  of  their  engines  and  operatives. 
Until  they  took  the  mail  contract,  there  was  little  Sunday  work  ;  and  were  it  not 
for  that  contract,  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  the  regular  use  of  the  road  on  Sunday 
would  cease. 

The  steamboat  and  stage  lines  which  carry  the  mail  offer,  we  presume,  the  same 
reason  for  their  Sabbath  travel,  as  tiie  Rail  Road  Company  docs. 

5th.  The  proprietors  of  these  various  modes  of  conveyajice  do  generally,  so  far  as 
we  know,  deem  their  employment  on  the  Sabbath  profitable  ;  though  some  have  en- 
tertained doubts. 

6lh.  Two  of  the  Directors  of  the  Rail  Road  Company,  one  of  them  its  President, 
when  the  contract  with  the  Post  Office  Department  was  about  to  be  renewed,  two 
years  ago,  made  the  effort  to  have  the  Sunday  transportation  dispensed  witli,  but 
were  not  successful.  Many  of  the  Directors  individually  avow  a  wish  to  have  the 
Sunday  work  discontinued  if  possible. 

Tth.  The  operatives  on  the  Rail  Road,  there  is  reason  to  think,  would  be  glad  to 
be  relieved  of  the  Sunday  work — though  our  opportunity  of  knowing  tlieir  views 
has  been  limited. 

8th.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  stockholders  of  the  South  Carolina  Rail  Road 
Company  two  years  ago,  a  resolution  was  passed,  to  discontinue  starling  the  freight 
trains  from  the  depots  on  Sunday  ;  but  it  is  believed  that  since  the  last  annual  meet- 
ing the  same  course  has  been  pursued  as  formerly,  and  that  there  is  no  difference  ob- 
served between  Sunday  and  other  days. 

9th.  We  think  that  there  is  a  perceptible  improvement  in  public  senlimant  in  our 
community  in  respect  to  the  observance  of  the  Lord^s  day,  and  we  trust  it  will  not 
be  without  its  influence  upon  all  the  public  carriers. 

10th.  Public  attention,  and  especially  that  of  the  religious  community  has  .been 
specially  drawn  in  various  ways,  within  the  last  18  montiis,  to  tlie  importance  of  a 
better  observance  of  the  Lord's  day.  A  society  has  been  formed  consisting  of  from 
one  to  two  hundred  members.  Its  meetings  have  been  held  once  a  month,  at  which 
addresses  bearing  upon  the  subject  of  the  Sabbath  have  been  delivered,  with  good 
elfsct  as  it  is  hoped,  by  a  number  of  miiiisters.  Some  success  has  we  trust  attended 
these  efforts.  Upon  applica.tion  to  the  City  Council  the  Sunday  markets  wefe  abol- 
ished ; — one  of  the  daily  papers  has  discontinued  Sunday  work,  which  example  has 
been  followed  by  others  in  this  section  of  tiie  country.  Among  other  efforts  which 
have  been  made  to  promote  a  belter  observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  the  Convention 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  this  Diocese,  at  its  last  annual  meeting,  re- 
commended to  its  clergy  to  preach  a  sermon  on  the  subject  of  the  Sabbath,  on  the 
Sunday  preceding  the  general  harvest  seas)n.  'i'his  was  dune  in  many  of  tlieir 
cfiurches. 

Memorials  have  been  from  time  to  time  presented  to  the  Directors  and  Stock- 
holdcts  of  tlie  Rail  Road  Company  on  the  subject  of  their  Sabbath  work,  and  one  is 
about  to  be  laid  before  them  at  their  next  meeting.  It  is  also  probable  that  a  me- 
morial will  be  laid  before  the  Legislature,  as  the  largest  stockholder,  requesting  its 
interposition  to  prevent  its  own  laws,  respecting  the  Sabbath,  from  being  violated. 

A  convention  of  the  friends  of  the  Sabbath  in  our  State,  was  called  to  meet  at 
Columbia,  about  the  beginning  of  last  December.  It  was  not  however,  owing  to 
peculiar  circumstances,  as  large  as  had  been  expected. 


68 
OHIO. 

Besides  the  steamboat  naviVation  on  Lake  Erie  and  the  Ohio  river,  in  which  this 
State  is  larjTfly  interested,  lliere  are  two  large  canals,  one  of  which  is  not  fully  com- 
pleted connecting-  the  Ohio  river  and  Lake  Erie.  A  large  amount  of  merchandise, 
and  numerous  passengers,  are  transported  by -waggons  and  stages  through  the  inte- 
rior. Most  of  these  conveyances  run  on  the  Sabbath,  though  there  arc  some  honor- 
able exceptions  among  them  all.  At  Cleveland  and  Cincinnati,  chaplains  have  been 
employed  among  boatmen  and  sailors,  and,  during  three  seasons  preceding  the  pres- 
ent, missionaries  have  labored  among  the  boatmen  on  tiie  Ohio  canals.  One  of  the 
happy  results  of  these  eftbrts  has  been  to  awaken  among  many  of  the  laborers  a 
strong  desire  that  the  inestimable  privilege  and  the  inalienable  right  of  resting  on  the 
Sabbath  may  be  restored  to  them. 

In  January  1814,  a  Jarge  and  interesting  Sabbath  Convention  was  held  at  Columbus. 
Not  less  than  fifteen  Associations  have  been  formed  in  llie  principal  cities  and  towns, 
to  promote  the  sanctification  of  the  Sabbath.  Some  at  least  of  these  have  been  ac- 
tive and  efficient.  In  many  of  these  places  a  majority  of  the  merchants  have  signed 
a  memorial  requesting  those  engaged  in  the  transportation  of  merchandise  to  discon- 
tinue all  business  on  the  Sabbath.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Hoge  and  P.  li.  Wilcox,  Esq.,  of 
Columbus,  writing  in  answer  to  the  circular  of  the  Baltimore  As.sociation,  remark, 
"  The  [)rL'sent  state  of  public  sentiment  is  certainly  more  favorable.  Professing  chris- 
tians appear  to  be  more  in  earnest  in  this  cause.  This  we  think  is  true,  not  only  in 
this  city  but  in  the  surrounding  region,  and  perhaps  throughout  the  State.  Pastors 
of  churches  have  preached  more  frequently  and  more  pointedly  on  this  subject — 
numerous  meetings  have  been  held  comprising  several  denominations  of  christians. 
Monthly  preaching  by  ministers  in  rotation  [has  been  instituted]  where  all  the  con- 
gregations have  been  invited  to  assemble  togetlier."  From  tiic  evident  prcfiaredness 
of  the  [)ublic  mind  in  this  State  tlicre  is  reason  to  believe  that  concerted  action  among 
the  fi  lends  of  tlie  Sabbath  would  be  productive  of  the  most  important  results. 

ILLINOIS. 
From  Rev.  A.  Kent,  Chas.  S.  Hempstead,  and  Geo.  Campbell,  of  Galena,  Illinois, 

"  There  are  no  rail  roads  or  canals  in  this  vicinity,  but  there  are  about  twenty  regu- 
lar steamboats  which  run  between,  here  and  St.  Louis,  and  two  running  northwardly 
to  St.  Peters.  There  are  mail  stage  lines  runmng  southwardly  and  castwardly  si.\ 
times  a  week,  and  northwardly  and  westwardly  three  times.  No  mail  stages  leave 
here  on  Sundays,  nor  do  any  arrive  on  that  day  with  one  exception. 

"  The  steamboats  are  used  for  carrying  merchandise  and  passengers  on  Sundays.  It 
may  be  observed  that  there  are  no  exclusive  passenger  boats  in  this  trade,  and  in  con- 
sequence of  the  difficulty  of  navigation  they  cannot  make  regular  trips.  Steamboats 
do  not  unload  their  cargoes  at  this  place  on  the  Sabbath.  By  an  ordinance  of  the 
City  Council,  no  dray  or  cart  is  allowed  to  haul  on  the  Lord's  day.  Lead  is  some- 
times shipped  on  Sundays  but  not  so  often  this  year  as  last. 

"  Tliere  has  been,  for  the  last  five  years,  a  decided  and  growing  improvement  in 
keeping  the  Sabbalh.  We  do  not  know  one,  of  about  fifty  smelling  furnaces  in  the 
mining  country,  that  does  not  stop  on  Sunday.  We  believe  that  the  miners,  without 
exception,  abstain  from  working  their  mines  on  the  Lord's  day.  In  our  city  all  places 
of  business  are  closed,  and  to  a  great  extent  our  citizens  attend  some  place  of  public 
worship. 

"  Tliero  has  been  considcralile  individual  effort,  and  some  by  bodies  of  piofessing 
christians,  with  much  cfl'ect  and  beneficial  results.  The  success  attending  those  efibrls 
is  manliest  in  the  establishment  of  churches  in  nearly  every  village  in  the  mining 
country  and  the  increased  quietness  and  better  observance  of  the  Sabbath  in  our  own 
city." 


DELEGATES  IN   ATTENDANCE 

AT    THE 

NATIONAL   LORD'S   DAY   CONVENTION. 


IMAINE. 
dumherland  County. — Rev.  Joseph  Stockbridge. 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

Hon.  John  Quincy  Adams,  (delegated  by  1st  Presbyterian  Church,  Washington,  D.  C.) 

^meiican  and  Foreign  Sahbalh  Union,  Bosion.— Rev.  Justin  Edwards,  D.  D.,  Scc^ry. 

J^orUittinplon. — L.  H.  Parsons. 

CONNECTICUT. 

Shernum. — Rev.  E.  Whitney. 

NEW  YORK. 

Dunkirk. — Rev.  Timothy  Stillman. 

Scheneclady. — Rev.  Eliphalet  Nott,  D.  D- 

Ilhica.—T.  S.  Williams. 

Kew  York  City — Rev.  Austin  Dickinson,  Francis  Hall-,  Esq.,  Clias.  Parker. 

First  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  M  Y.  City. — Rev.  Frederick  Stier. 

Association  of  Friends  of  Law  and  the  Sabbath,  Williamsburg,  Long  Island. 

Seventh  day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Ver.ona.—Rev.  N.  V.  Hull,  Rev.  T.  B.  Brown. 

First  Congreg.  Church,  Syracuse,  Onandago  Co. — Orrin  Caridee,  J.  B.  Huntingdon. 

Rockland  County. — Rev.  J.  Dewing. 

Chenango  County.— J.  R.  Chamberlin. 

Delaware  County. — E.  W.  Smith. 

Presbyterian  Church,  Buffalo,  Erie  County.— Rev.  N.  T.  Hopkins. 

Clarence,  J^iagara  County — N.  E.  Hill. 

Rochester,  Monroe  County. — James  K.  Livingston,  Jared  Peck. 

NEW  JERSEY. 

Pnnceton. — James  H.  Davis,  James  S.  Green. 

Princeton  Theological  Stminanj. — M.  A.  Hoge,  Geo.  A.  Bowman. 

JS'eio  Brunswick. — Rev.  Jacob  Janeway,  D.  D. 

Mwark. — Rev.  A.  D.  Eddy,  D.  D.,  Wm.  Rankin,  Esq. 

Perth  Jmboy. —  Dr.  Solomon  Andrews. 

Shiloh,  Cumberland  County.— J.  B.  Davis,  J.  D.  Fitswortli.  _ 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

Synod  of  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 

Rev.  John  T.  A.  Henderson,  of  Unionlovvn,  James  W.  Buchanan,  Esq.,  of  Pittsburg, 

James  W.  Hailraan,  of  Pittsburg. 


70 

Mams  County,  Fotmlain  Dale  Lutheran  Covgregalion. — Joseph  Baugber. 

Gettysburg. — Rev.  E.  V.  Gccliart,  Rev.  James  Watson. 

Pittsburg,  MUghany  County. — Rev.  Thomas  P.  Gordon.  Rev.  J.  Eken. 

Pittsbtirg  Sabbath  ..Association. 

Rev.  Dr.  A.  D.  Campbell,  Rev.  David  R.  Kerr,  Hon.  Harmar  Denny, 

Wni.  Murphy,  J.  D.  Williams. 

First  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  Pittsburg. — Rev.  A.  M.  Bryan. 

Carbon  County. — Rev.  R.  Webster. 

Chester  County. — Rev.  G.  Morrison,  J.  M.  Thomson,  B.  J.  Miller. 

Chester  Coxiuty  Sabbath  Association. — Francis  Parke,  Tliomas  H.  Gardner. 

Octorara. 

Rev.  J.  Latta,  D.  D.,     M.  Armstrong,    W.  Latta,  M.  D.,     D.'J.  Bent,    W.  Stewart. 

.  Upper  Octorara. — Robert  Parke. 

Upper  Oxford. — A.  McNeil,  Esq. 

Lower  Oxford. 

Rev.  John  M.  Dickey,     Sam'I  J.  Dickey,     Thomas  S.  Dickey,     Thos.  Sloan,  Es^. 

Rev.  Samuel  Dickey,       Thos.  J.  Dickey, 

Brandyuine  JSlunor. — Rev.  J.  N.  C.  Grier,  D.  D. 

Londonderry. — Rev.  Alfred  tlamilton. 

London  Grove. — William  VVilson. 

East  Fallowjield. — David  Young,  Jr. 

Danville,  Columbia  c«unty. 

Rev.  James  Ewing,       Rev.  John  Miller,       Wm.  Montgomery,       James  C.  Sproul- 

Carlisle,  Cmnberlatxd  County. 

Rev.  J.  P.  Durbin,  D.  D.,      Henry  Duffield,      Charles  Ogilby. 

Carlisle  Sabbath  dissociation.— Rev .  George  Morris. 

Delaware  county,  Presbyterian  Church,  Darby  — Dr.  Wm.  G.  Knowles. 

Erie,  Erie  County. — Rev.  George  A.  Lyon. 

Union  Tou-n,  Fayette  County. 

Rev.  C.  D.  Battel?.     Rev  1,  T.,  A.  Hpnflprsnn.     TTr.o-h  R'^Dv.    PhiliD  Helleu. 
Lliamberslurg,  Franklin  County. 

Rev.  Robt.  Grade,-  John  Cree,  James  McDowell,      John  Kcrtneday. 

Hon.  G.  Chambers,   \^'illiam  Heyscr,         Daniel  Snively, 

Mifflintown,  Juniatta  County.-^Rev.  M.  K.  Williamson. 
Lancaster  County. — Rev.  R.  Owens. 
Columbia,  Lancaster  County. — Rev.  Herman  Bokum. 
Perryville,  MJJlin  County.— Rev.  James  Noursc,  Dr.  Samuel  McClay. 
Geiman  Reformed  Cliurch,-Mifflinburg. — Rev.  E.  KcitFcr. 
Lutheran  Church,  Union  county — Rev.  J.  Anspach. 
Mw  Berlin,  Union  county.— Rev.  G.  W.  Thompson,  Rev.  B.  H.  Crever. 
yVorthumberland,  Union  county. — J.  B.  Boyd. 
Sabbath  JJssociotioii  of  H'aiUingten  county. 
Rev.  J.  M.  Hastings,  of  West  Alexandria,         Rev.  Charles  Cooke,  of  Washington. 
Youhgsloiun,  Westmoreland  county. — Rev.  Peter  Hassinger. 
York .  County. 
Rev.  A.  IT.  Lochman,  P.  Smyser,  Dr.  H.  McClellan,      Charles  Hay, 

ifev.  G.  Chenowith,  S.  Small,  J.  Voglesong,  C.  A.  Morris. 

Rev.  Sol.  Oswald,      M.  Bentz, 

Philadelphia  county,  Ilolmtsburg  Baptist  Church. 
Rev.  D.  S.  McGcar,  Geo.  W.  Holme,        Amos  Corsen,  Peter  Bender. 


71 

City  of  Philadelphia. 
Manufacturers  and  Citizens. — Isaac  Macaulay,  F.  Grice. 
Sabbath  ^Association. 
J.  A.  Brown,  Esq.,     C.  Heiskell,  Miltor,  Sinitli,  T.  T.  Mason, 

J.  M.  Atwood„Esq.,  Rev.  O.  S.  Powell,    Michael  Reed,  Charles  Woodward, 

Matthew  T.  Miller,  .Igent.  C.  E.  Spangler,  Joseph  Parker,  Jr. 

John  L.  McMuUen,    D.  C.  McCammon, 

Sundaij  School  Union. — David  Weatherly,  Esq.,  John  Smart. 

First  Baptist  Church. — Rev.  Geo.  B.  Ide,  David  Weatiierly,  Esq. 

Tenth  Baptist  Church. — Jolin  Smart,  George  Swope,  Uriah  Matthews. 

Eleventh  Baptist  Church. 

Rev.  A.  D.  Gillette,  James  Hannegen,       Davis  Brown,  Matthew  Brooks. 

First  Reformed  Dutch  Church. 
C.  E.  Spangler,  Henry  A.  Bowers,     Jacob  M.  Sellers. 

Third  Reformed  Dutch  Church. 
John  Miller,  John  L.  Linton,         Michael  Read. 

St.  Matthew''s  Lutheran  Church. — J.  Anspach. 

Mariner''s  Church. 

Rev.  J.  S.  Taylor,     Rev.  G.  Owen,     Theo  H.  Elliott,     John  Lilly,     Jas.Bankroft. 

St.  John''s  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Benjamin  Hubbard,   James  B.  Dare,  James  L.  Hines. 

St.  PauPs  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — Rev.  John  D.  Owens. 
Trinity  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — C.  Heiskell,  W.  Reed,  S.  D.  Prentzel. 
Union  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  JW  McCaskey,  Samuel  Ashmead,      E.  J.  Yard,  Jacob  Carrigan,  Jr. 

Thomas  T.  Mason,    James  J.  Boswell,      Thos.  A.  McDonald,  Calvin  Mason. 
John  B.' Ashmead,     William  J.  Savage, 

Fifth  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.'        0 
Wm.  F.  Ireland,         John  W.  Moore,        Samuel  W.  Stockton. 

Eighth  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  James  Mills,      Joiiii  Robinson,  Davis  N.  Sinn. 

Twelfth  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — Edward  Small. 
>  First  Methodist  Protestant  Church. — Rev.  Thomas  H.  Stockton. 

First  Presbyterian  Church. 
J.  A.  Brown,  Esq  ,     J.  M.  Atwood,  Esq.,  E.  F.  Backus,  Esq.,    Thomas  Harris. 
Second  Presbyterian  Church. — Matthew  B.  Grier. 
Third  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev.  T.  Brainard,      Levi  Eldridge,  James  W.  Queen,       G.  M.  Cooper, 

Rev.  W.  A.  Mandell,  D.  C.  McCammon,    T.  Vandyke,  Dr.  G.  H.  Bergen. 

John  C.  Farr, 

Fifth  Presbyterian  Chttrch. 
Rev.  M.  Lakue  P.  Thompson,  Rev.  David  Malin,  Anthony  Green. 

Sixth  Presbyterian  Church. — Rev.  John  S.  McMulIin. 
Central  Presbyterian  Church  — Rev.  John  McDowell,  D.  D.,  Matthew  Newkirk,  Esq. 

Central  Presbyterian  Church,  .-Vb.  2. 
Rev.  A.  Rood,  John  Miller,  Wm.  A.  McKec,        John  A.  Warner. 

Milton  Reed,  Francis  Drew, 

Cedar  Street  Presbyterian  Church. —  Rev.  Wm.  Ramsay,  John  Millegan. 
Clinton  Street  Presbyterian  Church. — Dr.  J.  H.  Briscoe,  L.  W.  Glenn. 


12 

Tenth  Presbyterian  CImrch. 
fUv.  H.  A.  Board-     Dr.  A.  W.  Mitchell,  James  Bin</ham,         Joseph  A.  Davidson, 

man,  D.  D.,    Dr.  R.  P.  Harris,        William  Kirk,  Robert  Earp, 

Paul  T.Jones,  A    W.  Slack,  Wilham  Veitch,         Alex.  G.  Mercer, 

liobert  Soulier,  Jr.,  W.  L.  Mactier,  Isaac  H.  White, 

Eleventh  Presbyterian  Church. 
wTr"^',  V;  9/^^^'      Charles  B.  Diingan,  Dsvid  B.  Kershaw,    James  E.  Johnston, 
Wilfred  Hall,  Robert  Cornelius,       Capt.  T.  Woodbury,  Isaac  Edelnian. 

Julward  Sprague,       Kobert  Glendenning, 

Penn  Stjuare  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev.  Willis  Lord,      Rev.  Dr.  Yeomans,    James  Dunlap,  G.  W.  Hood. 

Union  Presbyterian  Church. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Stewart,  Neil  McCauley,  James  Maybin,  Thomas  Downs. 

Jolui  Scott, 

Second  .Associate  Presbyterian  Church. 
Eev.  J.  T.  Cooper,     Joseph  R.  Dixon,       'I'homas  McBride,      James  Ferguson. 

First  Rejlrmed  Presbyterian  Church. 

Clement  McCune,      David  Ray,  George  H.  Steuart,    Hugh  A.  McKelvy. 

dissociate  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church.— Rt-v.  3.  Brown  Scouller. 

Scots^  Presbyterian  Church. 

Rev.  A.  Macklin,       Arch'd  Robeitson,      Henry  McKecu,         Andrew  Armstrong. 

St.  ^Indretc's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev  J  Bi.llock,  D  D.  Charles  Emory,  T.  G.  Rutherford,      James  C.  Milnor- 

Joseph  Parker,  Jr., 

Church  of  the  Epiphany,  Pfolestant  Episcopal— MiMhcw  T.  Miller. 
Grace  Church,  Protestant  Episcopal. — Charles  Haesbert. 
First  Presbyterian  Church,  Southwark. 
Wm.  K.  Brooks,        Joseph  JPrancls,  John  M.  Doman,       Michael  Leonard". 

•      First  Presbyterian  Church,  Mrthern  Liberties. 
William  Soby,  N.  B.  Unrnle,  Harvey  Hand,  Jacob  Painter. 

Thomas  Leitch,  Henry  Bellerjeau, 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Manayunk.—Rev.  James  A.  Longmore,  D.  D. 
Schwjlkill  Boatmen. — Rev.  Amos  Bingham,  JUissionai-y. 

DELAWARE. 

Wil7nington. 

Hon.  Willard  Hall,     Rev.  J.  R.  Wynkoop,     Alex.  Stephens,         J.  R.  Trimble,. 

Wilminglon  Presbyterian  Church. — Rev.  William  Hogarth. 

JV>to  Castle.— Rev.  John  B.  Spottswood,  Jas.  Couper,  M.  D.,  Capt.  R.  H.  Barr. 

Si.  Georg-e's. — Rev.  James  C.  How. 

J^eioark — Thomas  D/  Bell. 

Dover. — Rev.  Thomas  G.  Mur[)hy. 

Red  Clity  Creek. — Mr.  Samuel  Murphy. 

MARYLAND. 

State  Baptist  dissociation. 
Rev.  JChapin,DD.,  Rev.  S.  P.  Hill,  Rev.  R.  Compton,      Rov.  J.  A.  McKcan, 

Rev.  A.  Samson,        Rev.  J.  Aldrich,         Rev.  G.  W.  Sameon,  Rev.  V.  Wilson. 

Cumberland,  .llUghany  county. 
Rev.  W.  Prcttyman,  Daniel  A.  McJilton,  John  W.  McNeil,      Jacob  Wickard. 
Rov.  C.  Lepley, 

Jlnne  ,ifuudel  county,  .InnapoUs. — Rev.  David  Steel. 

Jlnne  Jlrundil  Circuit,  JMetbod'vil  Protestant  Church. — Rov.  Joel  Blue. 

Lisbon. — Benjamin  Barnes. 


13 

Lisbon  Presbyterian  Church,  ' 

Rev.  T.  J.  Slieppard,  Edward  Snowden,      Lewis  A.  Schaeffer,  David  E.  Hopkins. 

Patapsco  Circuit,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Her.  John  Bear.         Sanj'l  Morton,  Bcnjaii)in  Barnes,       McLane  Brown, 

Rev.  E.  E.  Allen,       Gaorge  W.  Allen,      Thomas  H.  Hood,      Isaac  P.  Ijams, 
Rev.  J  R  Derborow,    Samuel  Bennett,         Henry   Hood,  Anthony  Smith, 

Rev.  Samuel  Gore,    Thomas  Barnes,         Asbury  Pedicord,        William  Hains, 
Rev.  Z.  Waters,         John  Thompson,         Nathan  Shipley,         William  Hammond, 
Dr.  .loel  Hopkins,       Samuel   Dorsey,         Dr.  J.  J.  Morand,       Levin  R.  Mills, 
Joshua  Frizzell,  Cliarles  C.  Poulton,    James  Flobbs,  George  Poe, 

Win.  Biiig--,am,  John  Fisher,  Philip  Shipley,  Thomas  Newton, 

Pliilip  Gore,  Eph.  Hobbs,  Caleb  Shntz,  Thomas  Barnes. 

M.  C.  Parsons, 

Union  Chapel  Mclhodist  Protestant  Church. 
Rev.  H.  F.  Zollick-  James  B.  Matthews,  John  Cook,  Lemuel  Warfield- 

otier,     Basil  Crapster,  Milton  Welch, 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Howard  District. — Thomas  Barnes. 

Baltimore  county,  Mount  Paron  Presbyterian  Church. 
Samuel  J.  Baird,        Nathaniel  Parsons,     Dennis  B.  Clay. 

Warren,  Md. 
J.  Thompson,  Esq.,    Rev.  G  D  Hamilton,  Charles  H.  Bland,      Richard  Pearce, 
Rev.  J.  McClay,         Rev.  S.  Yerkes,  Charles  Jessop,  G.  Hedrick, 

M.  McrryTnan,  Esq.,  Richard  Dmnphy,      Joshua   Hitchcock,     J.  Hagerty. 
J.  S.  Buck,  M.  D.,     B.  C.  Stinchconib,      Valentine  VV.  Cross, 

(Quarries  Presbyterian  Church. 
Robert  Baker,  Samuel  Campbell,      Alonzo  Leland. 

Methodist  Protestant  Church. — Rev.  John  H.  Kennard. 

Reisterstown  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

w;n:^._  rw.         ,         ^—Wm.  Henck,     Rev.  James  Brent,     John  Buckley. 
Col.  James  riper,  '  •' 

Stone  Chapel,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  J.  L.  Gibbons,  Rev.  Thomas  Flint,  Rev.  S.  Cornelius,     George  Elder. 

Marcella  Chapel,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Samuel  Walters,        Mr.  Stiner,  Mr.  Stinchcomb. 

Hookstoum  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  Henry  Smith,    W.  W.  Watkins,        Jacob  Grafflin,  Caleb  Merryman. 

Ridgeville  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Dr.  G.  S.  Grimes,     William  Dean,  Henry  Buzzard. 

}Vard''s  Chapel,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Samuel  M.  Barry,      Jacob  Woolfe,  Jonathan  Smith,         Reuben  Smith, 

Wm.  Chamberlain,     Larkin  Young, 

Hereford. 
Rev.  Thos.  H.  W.     John  K.  Roe,  William  Roe,  Charles  Ogilby^ 

Monroe,  Edward  Gorsuch,       T.  Talbott  Gorsuch,  J.  McClay. 
Rev.  G.  F.  Adams, 

Sykesvilte  Presbyterian  Church. — William  Baer, 

Baltimore  City. 

Lord^s  Day  Jlssociation. 
The  Board. 

Rev.  B.Kurtz,  D  D.,  Chas.  W.  Ridwely,     Christian  Keener,  Dr.  H.  .A.  Slinnocke, 

Rev.  Bishop  VYaugh,  Wm.  Geo.  Baker,      John  Clark,  R.  G.  Armstrong, 

Capt.  Wm.  Graham,  Rev.  J.  G.  Hamncr,  E.  Dubois,  P.  Reigart, 

A.  B.  Kyle,  Wm    B.  Cantield,        Rev.  J.  A.  Collins,  D.  B    Piince, 

Fielder  Israel,  Dr.  W.  M.  Kemp,     Rev.  Jona.  Aldricli,  Alex.  M.  Carter. 


74 


{Other  Delegates.) 
Hon.  S.  Archer,         Rev.  F. Waters,  D  D.  Rev.  S.  Guitteau,      William  Woodward, 
Hon.  J.  Purviance,    Rev.  James  Reid,       Rev.  Hezekiali  Best,  William  Henry, 
Hon.  Nicholas  Brice,  Rev.  J.  S.  Mitchell,  Rev.  S.  Williams,      Wells  Chase, 
Hon.  A.  Nisbet,         ""  "   "  ~ 


Rev.  S.  P.  Hill, 
James  Wilson, 
Nelson  Clark, 


Rev.  R.  A.  Smith,     Samuel  Jones,  Jr.,     Robert  Taylor. 
First  Baptist  Church. 


Henry  S.  Shyrock, 
John  R.  Davis, 


Benj.  G.  Fry,  Stephen  Thornton, 

Orson  Kellogg,  Thomas  Maj  bury, 

Franklin  Wilson,       Hamilton  S.  Salmon,  John  Ramsay 

First  Baptist  Church. 
Rey^O.  W.  Briggs,  John  Lewis,  Jr.,         J.  Judefind, 


C   M.  Kcyser,  F.  A.  Levering,  James  Jone 

A.  R.   Leveling,  Geo.  Roche,  E.  Hubball, 

A.  I).  Kelly,  Jr.,  C.  D.  Slingluff,  John  Hahh, 

D.  Chase,  A.  A.  Chapman,  J.  G.  Rous, 

A.  W.  Pouison,  J.  W.  Mercer,  S.  Sweet, 

G.  W.  Norris,  W.  W.  Lavvrason, 

Second  Baptist  Church. 
Henry  Johnson,  Joshua  Wood, 

John  Laiideiman, 
John  Hanie, 
William   Phillips, 
James  Wood, 
R.  White, 


Rev.  J.  Healey, 
G.  Waggner, 
G.  Woltt; 
William  Waggner, 
John  Burton, 
William  Johnson, 


Elbert  Wolf, 
R.  Berry, 
T.  Stevens, 
J.  Phillips, 
Martin  Peterson, 

Calvert  Street  Baptist  Church. 
J.  A.  M'Kean,  Geo.  W.  Lewis,         A.  Fuller  Crane, 


Rev, 

Wm.  Crane, 
A.  J.  Hampson, 


Tliomas  Hinton, 
J.  D.   M'Koan, 


Wm.  Sinitii, 


John  Ma.ion, 
E.  D.  Gibson, 
R.  M.  Ludlow, 
G.  Irvln, 
James  Lomax, 
Wm.  Fountaine. 


James  Harvey, 
John  Cox, 
John  Robinson, 
John  Hulse, 
N.  Atwell, 
William  Wolf. 


John  Lyons, 
Wm.  Addison. 


Rev.  J.  Aldrich, 
John  B.  Mood}', 

J-'r^lianTVdsiV 
James  M.  Bradley, 
T.  H.  Edmonds, 
G.  K.  Tyler, 


High  Street  Baptist  Church. 

M.  Allen,  Norris  Montgomery,  John  F.  Helm, 

G.  McGre<for 
.   1  iiris, 

James  Tottle, 

Lewis  Ray  me, 

Adam  H.  Reister, 


Wm 

S.  S.  Robinson, 

■^.'''vV.-V'Var'd;- 
Wm.  Ward, 
J.  B.    White, 


w. 

Obadiali  'J'owson, 
Charles  Richards, 
Charles  H.  Pepar, 
Benj.  N.  Cook. 


Rev.  R.  Compton, 
Rev  MrHendrickson,VViii.'^Lin(lscy, 
Peter  Potts,  Sr.,         G.  McMinii, 
Samuel   Marker,         Joseph  Bannister 
Edward  Coc.key,         Samuel  Sands, 


Mulison  Street  Baptist  Church. 
George  (loskiiis,         Robert  Polts, 


James  Gerford, 
Micajah  Skipper, 
Richard  Pryor, 


Alfred  Pryor, 
James  Ross, 
David  Noyes, 
A.  Butcher, 


John  C.  French, 
W.  P.  Lemmon, 
.  C.  Farquharson, 
Samuel  Sands, 
Jacob  Sanniaiiig, 
Richard  Lemmon, 
Coniad  Sauinanig, 


Fifth  Baptist  Church.— John  W.  Ball,  James  Morrison. 
J^'orth  Street  Congregation,  Disciples  of  Christ. 
Enoch  Holt,  Stephen  Huzza, 

Wm.  Joiiiison,  James   Iliizza, 

James  Johii.'ion,  John  W.   Watts, 

J.  Dickinson,  Huntington  Lee, 

Alexander    Packie,     John  Black, 
Lewis  Williams,         John  Stephens, 


Morris  Settler, 
Wm.  Huh, 
John  Bancroft, 
John  Witmore, 
Matthew  Miller, 
T.  Miller, 


Rev.  E.  Hcincr, 
P    Reigart, 
G.   Decker, 
S.  Sultzer, 
1).  Super, 
C.   Suler, 
W.  H.  Ridgely, 


First  German  Reformed  Church. 
Elios  Hale,  L.  Hewell, 

C.  Dirt'ond.-rtfer,  Jr.,  G.  Rod.'iimaver,  i 
William    Howell,.       R.  DitreiideriVer, 
J.  Shatl'iier,  I\l.  Sliaw, 

D.  A.  IVters,  R.  F.   Muynard, 
Dr.  M.  DiiiondcrfFcr.  l)i.  Davi.s, 
G.Richstein,             '  H.   DiMendorffer, 


A.  Mathiot, 

,Col.     SlIKlll, 

H.    Uh.,<l.-s, 
Dr.   Hiiitze, 
C.  Long, 
L.  C.  Miller, 
^^  illiam  Baker. 


75 


Rev.  S.  Gutelius 
Jacob  Smitli, 


D.  Backoy, 
S.  Stonebraker, 
J.  Rodenmayer, 
H.  Snyder, 

F.  Dolin, 

Rev.  G.  Brickley, 
Sol.G.  Miller, 
J.  K.  Messersinith, 
W.  Niimsen, 
W.   Feigner, 
Henry   Appel, 
J.  Widener, 

G.  Sickel, 

V.   Hotfgesang, 
J.  F.  Popp, 

Rev.  Dr.  Morris, 

J.  Werdebaugh, 

C.  D.  Hinks, 

John  Reese, 

Jacob  Horn, 

C.  Hoffinati, 

W.  M.  Kemp,  M.  D. 


Second  German  Reformed  Church. 
Lewis  Wcis,  Jacob  Heinniiller, 

F.  Elilslegger,  P.  Thaten, 

Third  German  Reformed  Church. 
Jno.  Elliott,  G.  Hoffman, 

Jacob  Sidlers,  Joiin  Smith, 

Enos  Bean,  Jacob  F.  Gro«s, 

E.  Y.  Forney,  Henry  Snyder, 

Otis   Spear, 

German  Evangelical  Emanuel   Chxirch. 
J.  Saumcnig,  Godfried   Rosvvag, 

M.  Liclitenberger,      Henry  Miller, 


J.  Lindonfel.se 
B.  Macker, 
A.   Scheenbly. 
P.   Schadt, 
Gotlib  Medinger, 
John  Wiber, 
Ludwig  Waidener, 


Christian  Gerber 
M.  Zulaiif, 
J.  Nunisen, 
Adam  Deash, 
C.  Keil, 
Bernard  Ritter, 
C.  Bribing, 


First  English  Lutheran  Church. 
F.  Woodworth,  E.  R.  Harney, 

F.  R.  Waesche,  Edward  Schaeffer, 


G 

T.  Nixdorff, 
S.  Hinks, 
P.  Uhler, 
G.  W.  Schwartze, 
M.  D., 


F.  Seyler, 
Wm.  Armor, 
David  Martin, 
James  Matthews, 


J.  M.  Keyser, 
John  M.  Smith 


J.   Snyder,. 
S.  Welchaus, 
T.  S.  Bahtz, 
Frederick  Achey, 


J.  Haupt, 
V.  Lehn, 
P.  Conrad, 
F.  Herold, 
H.  A.  Ritter, 
Charles  Frey, 
Godlieb  Lyter, 
W.  Saiimenig, 
J.  Zizenfulser.. 


Wm.  H.  Peters, 
G.  Sadtler, 
J.   Harmau, 
J.    Ehrman, 
J.  G.  Hewes, 
F.  L.  Brauns, 


Second  En";lish  Lutheran  Church. 


Rev.  C.  P.  Krauth, 

Jr., 
Rev.  B.  Kurtz,  D.  D. 
T.  Stow, 
Wm.   Bridges, 
Joel  Wright, 
John  Mahaney, 

Wm.  A.  VVisono-, 
C.  W.  Focke, 

Rev.  C.  Weyl, 
Jacob  Hoop, 
C.  Herrlich, 


Rev.  John  Bear, 
Rev.  C.  B.  Young, 
Rev.  Joiin  Lanahan, 
Rev.  J.  R.  Jarboe, 
Samuel  Boyd, 
David  Bird, 
Nathan  Turner, 
Benjamin  Abbott, 


Wm.  Poe, 
George  Martin, 
John  Rock, 
Mr.    Schultz, 
Mr.  Thomas, 
T.  J.  Kennard, 


G.  B.  Dell, 
G.  F.  Kauderer, 
T.  M.  Abbott, 
David  Irelan, 
G.  A.  Davis, 
W.  H.  McMahon. 

J.  G.  C.  Alback, 
Wm.  Alvater, 
S.  S.  Prince, 


Philip  Gosnell, 

James  Getty, 

Wm.  M.  Oldham, 

David  Firoved, 

John  Clifford, 

J.  H.  Rogers, 

Adam  Kalilor, 

-■-  -— ^^11,  "■     '      A.  Appold', 

J.  M.  Bande],  E.  A.  Smith, 

Wm.  Will,  Henry  Morry, 

Lutheran  Trinity  Church. 

F.  Holtze,  F.  Hoffman,  PL  Lohmiller, 
Wm.  Hunemeyer,      J.  Lehman,  N.  Werner, 

G.  Dobler,  V.  Feldeg, 

Caroline  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
John  J.  Pentz,  ^    James  L.  Smith,         Wm.  Henchinger, 

Daniel  Pentz,  Dr.  Kinneman,  Thomas  Hincs" 

Tiiomas  Orotherton,  William  Mason,         Nicholas  McCubbin, 
Edvv.  S.  Lambden,     George  W.  Tucker,  Martin  W.  Mettee, 
William  Hooper,        Charles  Kimberley, 
Harry  F.  Turner,       —     •     •  •    - 
John  M.  Buck, 


Rev.  E.  Donsey, 

Comfort  Tiffany, 

Dr.  T.  E.  Bond,  Jr., 

Dr.  David  Keener, 

Wm.  J.  Ward,  Esq., 

Dr.  A.  F.  Dulin, 

Wm.  McCoiikey,  Jr.  John  Hurst, 


Charles  Ligram, 
Henry  Pentz, 
John  Hall, 
William  McJilton, 

Charles  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
William  Rogers,         James  Williams, 
Joseph  C.  Wilson,      James  Cortlan, 
Jno.  Easter,  of  John  Daniel  B.  Banks, 
Thomas  Cnrner,         Isaac  Reynolds, 
James  A.  Sangston,   Alexander  Fisiier, 
John  B.  Cannon,        William  G.  Lyford, 


Frederick  Rawlings, 
Robert  Allison. 


Jacob  Wall, 


Charles  Rhineliart, 
Joshua  Dryden, 
G.  BroadlK'Ut, 
William  Devrics, 
Wesley  Cowles, 
E.  B.  Estes, 
Thomas  M.  Arnest, 


76 


Dr.  C.  A.  Harris,       Geo.  E.  Sangston, 
Dr.  Isaac  B.  Owens,  Asa  Child, 


Job  Siiiilli, 
Dr.  E.  Noyeg, 
F.  G.  Waters, 
C.  R.  File, 
Joshua  Rojston, 


Jolin  Herr, 
John  D.  Toy, 
Henry  W.  Hiser, 
A.  B.  Davidson, 
Geornrc  L.  L.  Davi 


George  K.  Quail,       John  R.  Yates, 
Rich'd  S.  Hardesty,   W.  W.  Byrn, 
Charles  R.  Gwynn,    George  Baughman, 
Edward  T.  Owens,     Sol.  Corner, 
Roi)ert  Sinclair,  Jr.,  J.  Edward  Bird, 
Josiah  Cobb,  Thomas  P.  Williams. 

George  W.  Arnold, 


Sunday  Seliool  of  Charles  Street  .Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
William  T.  Easter,    James  McConkey,      Alfred  Cookman,        John  O.  Raid, 
George  \V.  Howard,  Jay  Spurrier,  John  Howard,  Lemuel  Stans'bury. 

Joseph  C.  Tiffany,     James  C.  Fitzgerald, 

Culumbia  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


Rev.  J.  W.  Cnllum,  James  M   Lester, 
Rev.  D.  M.  Reese,    John  Showacre 
Joseph  Owens, 


Lewis  Kalbfus 
John  W.  Carter, 
Conduce  Gatch, 
William  Cooper, 

Rev.  M.  Goheen, 
Thomas  R.  Hand, 
Samuel  Hiser, 
Wniliam  Dillam, 
Levi  Hampson, 
Ralph  Brunt, 
David  White, 


Peter  Eglebernrr, 
Joscpli  Stewart, 
Jacob  Parish, 
William  Asliton, 


Charles  R.  Coleman,  James  CrunoJe, 
John  Shiote,  William  High, 

Levi  Peiry,  ~ 

Daniel  Ledley, 
Cornelius  H.  Cob, 
John  W.  Blake, 


Ebinezar  Stewart, 
Alexander  Waugh, 
James  Miller, 
Nicholas  D.  Ruckle. 


Emory  Chapel,  Methodist  Episcopal. 
G.  J.  Zimmerman,     William  Clemmons,   J.  Scott, 


George  Malloiiee 
A.  V.  Cozine, 
John  Sellers, 
Aaron  Hoffman 
John  Burns, 


Mr.  Gailher, 
John    R'edifbr, 
Eli  Tucker, 
W.  Dorsey, 
John  Jones, 


Washington  Grubb, 
Jacob  Kraft, 
Christian  Abell, 
John  Zimmerman, 
Joseph  Cole. 


Eulaw  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
Rev.  Jos.  Merrikin,    Thomas  C.  Ruckle,    Edward  May, 
Rev.  J.  S.  Mitchell,  Joseph  Wilkins,  L.  G.  Shipley, 

Rev.  W.  Stevenson,  John  W.  Berry,  John  J.andstreet, 

Rev.  John  H.  Mark,  John  l^oberl  Israel,    William  Warficld, 
Rev.  J.  K.  Leinmon,  David  B.  Ferguson,   Aaron  Holt, 
Fielder  Israel,  Asbury  Caiter,  John  Shaw, 

Alexander  rci.rr.j,    l-.c^h  Cassell,  Jacob  Meixsel, 

William  K.  Orrick,    Caleb  Pefegoy,  joiiu  vjtl>.,.,-    • 

John  Lynch,  John  E.  Reese,  Edwin  Caldwell, 

Daniel  Bender,  William  H.  Mittan,   Nicholas  L.  Wood, 

Exeter  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  Henry  Slicer,    Joshua  Creamer,         Wm.  Fusselbaugh, 
Rev.  S.  Williams,      Robert  Turner,  John  Ijams, 

Charles  Hogg,  David  Harryman, 

J.  B.  Scidcnslricker,  Henry  Powell, 
James  S.  Sutor,  Jacob  Daley, 


Rev.  D.  E.  Reese, 
John  Pctlierbtidge, 
Thomas  Kelso, 
John  Kelso, 


Thomas  Holtzman, 
Thomas  B.  Israel, 
John  Brannan, 
William  Wuller, 
Charles  Blake, 
William  T.  Preston, 
William  F.  Edwards, 

•^       T\'      JT7..U,_ 

David  Bush. 


Bernard  Clark, 
John  Loane, 
John  Welch, 
Kezin  Huslup, 
Jolm  Reany. 


Rev.  Amos  Smith, 
Rev.  S.  V.  Blake, 
Rev.  D.   McJilton, 
Eli  Smith, 
Luther  Wilson, 
Matthew  Siirote, 
Richard  Younger, 


Fayette  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

John  J.  Barry,  David  Carson,  James  Perogoy, 

James  Marley,  Cyrus  Gault,  B.  F.  Duvall, 

Edward  S.  Frey,  Edward  C.  Thomas,  A.  C.   Butler, 

H.  Durborow,  Tiioinas  Harvey,  Thomas  Widerman, 

Charles  Shipley,  A.  J.  Barrett,  Joseph   Oldham, 

John  Kirkley,  Isaac  Mules,  David  Emmart. 
William  Welsh, 


German  Mission  of  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  Adam  Miller,     Ernest  Buhre,  Lewis  Sholl,  Henry  Weisbrod. 

Harford  .Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  Joseph  Farrow,  Samuel  McVay,         James  F.  Pervis,         John  H.  Durand, 
Sterling  Thomas,       William  Staiishury,    George  Holland,         Joseph  Chalmers. 
William  Allen,  William  Clialmers, 


77 


High  Sired  Mclhodtst  Episcopal  Church. 

Rev.  I;.  F.  Morgan,  Daniel  Goodacre,       William  Jones,  Jr.,  William  Young,  Jr., 

Rev.  . Fames  Reed,      Alexander  KirUland,  John  F.  Meredith,  John  King, 

James  Hnggerl}',  Lloyd  IMcJVeal, 


Tiiomas  Earrickson,  Capt.  L.  G.  Taylor, 
William  E.  Hooper,  George  Saunders, 
John  H.  Tucker,        Nicholas  Robinson. 


Rev.  Jolm  Sharplcy,  Josepli  Loane 
Rev.  James  Morell,  Ezekiel  Jones, 
Daniel  Dail,  John  S.  Tough 

Benjamin  ]?ond,  Henry  Bailey, 
Benjamm  Buck,  Sr., 

Howard  Slreet  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  T.  B.  Lemon,    Tobias  Miller,  Elisha  Carback,  George  W.  Lilley, 

Rev.  J.  W.  Tilyard,  Charles  Towson,         William  G.  Young,    Richard  Gees, 
Charles  Hollis,  Josepii  Coskey,  William  Curley,         Samuel  Henderson. 

Jolm  Gieen,  Henry  Moore,  Francis  Baughman, 

Liglil  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  Bishop  Waugh,  John  G.  Chappell,     George  Appold, 
Rev.  J.  A.  Collins,     George  Rogers,  Samuel  Harris, 

Rev.  W.  Hamilton,    Asbury  Jarrett,  Samuel  Burnett, 

Rev.  T.  Sevvall,  Jr.,   Rowland  Rogers,       James  Amos, 
Rev.  Joshua  W^ells,    Robt.  M.  Loc^kwood,  Daniel  Hope, 
Rev.  Thos.  Bassford,  Henry  W.  Cooke,       John  Walter, 
Rev.  Isaac  P.  Cook,  Kich'd  J.  Malchett,    John  Bruff, 
Rev.  Jolm  F.  Hey,     Richard  D.  Long,      John  Armstrong, 
George  Earnest,         Elisiia  N.  Browne,     James  Coburn, 
Thomas  Armstrong,  Samuel    Benson,         Joseph  Tucker, 

James  Bi'undige,         Josepii  N.  Lewis,        fieo.  W.  Mow-bray,    Samuel  S.  Addison, 
John  Patterson,  Wm.  D,  Eltonhead,  Samuel  T.  Emory,     George  H.  Berry. 

Philip  Hiss,  David  E.  Thomas, 

Monument  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Addi  Pindell,  William  Byrn,  Benjamin  F.  Nails, 

David  Creamer,  Wm.  Goldsborough,  John  B.  Youngs, 

Fred.  Pinkney,  Esq.,  Natiian  Richardson,  Samuel  Rust, 
Samuel  Hindes,  Francis  Burke,  John  P.  Andrew, 

Abraham  Sliver,         Thomas  K.  Turner,  James  P.  Thomas. 


D.  G.  Underwood, 
John  Simonson, 
W.  II.  Emory,  Esq., 
David  Lankford, 
Edward  Small, 
George  Ruckle, 
W.  A.  Schaertcr, 
George  Merriken, 
Peter  P.  Potee, 
George  Stcuart, 


Rev.  Jacob  Larkin, 
Samuel  Rankin, 

William  Houlton, 
George  Yeates, 
T.  G.  Hill, 
J.  G.  Wilcox, 


Wesley  Chapel  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


Rev  John  S  Martin,  William  Reese,  John  H  Keene,  George  C  Addison, 

Rev  Dr  G  C  M  Rob-  J  H  Price,  Paul  H  uckle,  William  Tomlinson, 

erts,   ileuel  Sliaw,  William  S  Birch,  J  H  Keany, 

Rev  J  H  Dashiell,      Tliomas  C  Watkins,  Tliomas  Franco,  Alexander  Baltzcll, 

Rev  John  L  Reese,    James  Hooper,  Sr,     Daniel  Fosbener,  Samuel  Thomas, 


Rev  Joseph  Shane,  Washing'n  B  Jones,  Chas  Cociirain,  Jr,     Abram  Meister, 

Christian  Keener,  John  H  Rhodes. 

Richard  H  Battee,  Niciiolas  C  Brice, 

Joseph  V/  Frey,  John  Medairy, 

Wesley  Disney,  John  Morrow, 

John  Brice, 


William  Sullivan,      John  G  Stevens, 
John  S  Macher,         Alexander  Russell, 
Jolm  Crookshanks,     William  Casey, 
William  W''oodcock,  Jesse  Armai>er, 


Rev  S  Brison 

Rev  Charles  Turner,  Hanson  Ilutter, 
Rev  A  H  Kennaday,  Jacob  HofF, 
Wm  Baker,  Esq,        John  Dominy, 


Daniel  Kalbfus, 
William  Snyder, 
Thomas  Jenkins, 

Rev  John  Bear, 
Rev  James  Sewell, 
Rev  W  F  Mercer, 
F  Littig  Schaeffer, 
Samuel  S  Briggs, 
Robert  Dulton, 
Thomas  Trolten, 
J  Puofh, 


Whatcoat  Station  of  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
James  Paul,  Lemuel  Stewart,        Henry  Baker, 

Wm  G  Baker,  Esq 

Henry  Godfrey, 

Jolm   Holf, 
David  Horn,  Nicholas  Bell, 

B  Coyle,  David  Bankard, 


George  GratBin, 
William  Oler, 
William  McCoy, 
Josiah  Prather, 
Jabez  Paul, 


Wilkes  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Nathaniel  Kimherly,  John  Welch,  Sen'r,    John  Valiant, 
Benjamin  Tliomas,     Peter  Wells,  John  McDermof.t, 

Thomas  Cromwell,     B  Mcztck  Corner,       H  A  Liloes,  M  D, 
Robert  Criiggs,  H  S  Hunt,  M  D,        Lewis  Robinson, 

David  Evans,  Henry  Morris,  M  D,  Lewis  Audoun, 

J  W  Randolph,  T  L  Murphy,  M  D,    James  l^onahue, 

Thomas  S  Clark,        William  Strobel,        Alfred  Arms-trong, 
James  Everett,  James  N  Muller,        J  B  M  Latourna, 


78 


Rev  Job  Guest,         . Clarke  CoUeral, 
Kev  J  W  Jxicliardson, Henry  Uell, 

J  A  Stephens, 


JFilliam  Slreel  J\Ielkodist  Episcopal  Church. 


Kev  E  llcriuer, 
John  y  Jjiown, 
■Suuiucl  PJiiiimier, 
James  JMcCleary, 


George  Sumvvalt, 
Josepli  K  Love, 
Henry  Cotteral, 
Jolni  Kraus, 
Henry  Neal, 
Edward  Browning, 


Joseph  Holmes, 
James  M  lirannan, 
James  McGenley, 
Henry  Harman, 
David  Bell, 


VVilliam  Williams, 

William  Skinner, 

Andrew  Salisbury, 

Young  J\Ie}Vs  City  Bdhd. 
Samuel  Kramer,         C.J  Thompson,  J  Fitzgerald, 

G  Broadbent,  RWDryden,  William  H  Soper, 

R  H  Paltison,  J  Spurrier, 

Easl  Ballimore  Station,  Methodisl  Protestant  Church. 
Rev  L  11  Reese,         Edward  Foreman,       S  H  Whittingham,     Joseph  Perrigoy, 
Rev  U  Evans  Reese,  William  Rusk,  Joseph  R  Foreman,    Alex  D  FortMiian, 

Rev  B  Richardson,    John  W  Kichaidson,  Samuel  R  Smith,       Alexander  Cooper, 
Rev  J  R  Williams,    Daniel  Perrigoy,         Robert  B  Varden,       ~  "  '      ' 

Rev  J  xM  Roberts,      John  C  Street,  E  Strahn, 

Samuel  H  Bowly,       Wm  C  Cunningham,  Jaines  Claypoole, 
Thomas  Richardson,  Z  O  Bond,  David  Heirmtr, 

Si.  John's  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
Edward  Green, 


E  Griffin, 
C  Cotteral, 


T  Higgenboliiain, 
Aug  Copenhaver, 
Jacob  Boston, 
Samuel  Bond, 


Rev  Aug  Webster, 
Rev  L  J  Cox, 
Rev  R  H  Ball, 
Allen  Paine, 
Abner  Webb, 
John  Clark, 
Edw  J  Richardson, 
DCH  Emoiy, 


John  J  Harrod, 
B  H  Richardson, 
T  O wings,  i\l  D, 
John  Chappell, 


W  L  Richardson, 
Samuel  Guest, 
William  Puir^on, 
Dr  P  S  Cliappull, 
John  Meoraw, 


Col  Wm  R  Stewart,  J  B  Hindes, 

Walter  Crook,  Dr  R  T  Haughey, 

James  W  Allnutt,      Edmund  J  Webb, 
Charles  W  Ridgely,  George  Peters,  Sr,     Levi  Wilder, 

Western  Station,  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
Rev  Josiah  Varden,    Sam'l  T  Anderson,     William  Dulany,        James  M  Lindsay, 
Rev  S  K  Jennings,    J  S  Abell,  ..........  ^  .      -  ~ 


John  Nants,  Sr, 
Augustus  P  Webb, 
John  L  Allen, 
Robert  Hill, 
Wm  R  Sangston, 
Robert  Corsuch, 
Luther  J  Cox,  Jr, 
Henry  M  Letsinger, 
Joseph  Horn, 


Rev  N  Dorsey,  ofL   Jacob  Israel, 
Rev  E  Yeates  Reese,  Jacob  Soujmcr, 
Rev  J  as  Essender,      John  Coatcs, 


Francis  Coates, 
Charles  Waters, 
Wesley  Starr, 


Rev  J  C  Backus, 

M  McDowell,  M  D,  John  H  Haskill, 

George  Morris, 

John  Kodoers, 


A  G  Griflith, 
B  B  N  orris, 
William  Starr, 
Henry  Horn, 
J  B  Brashears, 
John  Slinchcomb, 


William  L  Gill, 
John  IS'  Brown, 


Rev  R  J  Brecken- 

ridge, 
A  B  Kyle, 
Dr  H  A  Stinnecke,    James  George, 

USA  Alexander  Boggs, 
James  Healty,  Richard  J  Cross, 

John  Wilson,  James  Armor, 

Peter  Fenby,       •  Robei  t  S  Holiiiis, 


John  Weaver, 
Henry  Wigart, 
Joseph  Brown, 
Ministry  at  Large. — Rev.  C.  li.  A.  Dall 

First  Presbyterian  Church. 
P  Stewart,  M  D,        Siiammah  Clark, 
J  V  D  Stewart, 
Lancaster  Quid,         George  Brown, 
William  B  Canfield,  Joseph  Taylor, 
AVm  F  Murdock,        Francis  Forman, 
Archibald  Stirling,     J  il  Stickney,. 
Second  Presbyterian  Church, 
John  Bighanj 
A  (ieorge, 
P  Dinsmorc, 


John  R  Carvill, 
Arthur  Emory, 
James  M  Brown, 
William  Allen, 
Thomas  Parsons, 
J  T  J  Harlan, 


David  Couilnay, 
S  Collins,  M  D, 
Alexander  Coulter, 
Dr  Baer, 

William  Harrison, 
Julius  A  Fay, 


W'illiam  F  Carey,  Henry  WcEIderry, 

Capt  H  Purviaiicc,  Tleniy  Pendexler, 

U  S  N  Garrett  Brown, 

Capt  G  N  Hollins,  J  W  Maxwell, 

U  S  N  Benjamin  C  Ross, 

Col  Wm  Fell  Giles,  J  Harman  Blown, 

Cajit  Jos  E  Trippe,  William  H  Beatty, 


William  Bogi; 


E  C  Dubois,  Geo  V  Sprcckelscn,  Richard  D  Fenby, 

Third  Presbyterian  Church. 


Rev  G  W  Musgrave,  W  McCormii  k, 
iMallliew  Clark,  Sr,    V.  Pfrkins,  iM  D, 


Z  Vj  l^iiniiam, 
John  Hicksoii, 
D  B  Prince, 
Andrew  (iraham, 
H  W  Hayden, 


W  Reynolds, 
William  Allen, 
Francis  Jiurns, 
Francis  I'orster, 


O  A  Cill, 

Hon  James  O  Law, 

J  J  J^ewis, 

F  Maurer, 

J  F  Perkins,  M  D, 

E  C  Rivers, 


Thomas  D  Baird, 
E  Thompson  Baird, 

D  Sullivan, 
A  Giliicit, 
S  Hillock, 
John  l^indsaj', 
W  McCJrallin, 
Joseph  W  ilson, 


79 


Fourth  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev  G  D  Paiviance,  Adoram  Plielps,  W  Mackenhammer,  R  Robinson, 

Hon  Judoe  Parvi-     James  R  Jackson,      Jesse  H  Magriider,     James  HavVtliorn, 

ance,  James  Miller,  T  C  Barrow,  James  Gaskins, 

John  McKeen,  Charles  Davis,  Somerville  Norwood,  Robert  Hamilton, 

Hamilton  Easter,        Leonaid  R  Woollen,  George  Sargor,  S  H  Simpson, 

Charles  P  Rogers, 

Fifth  Presbyterian  Church. 

Rev  J  G  Hamtier,     Joseph  T  Kejs,  A  G  Cole, 

William  S  Hopkins,  T  W  Alricks,  A  D  Jones, 

Emanuel  liallzell,       A  C  Gibbs,  Charles  L  Bartlett, 
James  Patterson,        Col  Thos  Sheppard,   Joseph  Crosby, 

Alexander  M  ('arter,  Edward  Wright,  Josiah  Richardson, 

Capt  Asa  Nuedham,  J  S  Eastman,  D  W  Hall, 

Capt  Joel  Vickcrs,      J  F  McJillon,  Thomas  P  White, 

,3isqxiith  Street  Presbyterian  Church. 

Rev  R  J  Dunlap,  Isaac  Johnson, 

James  Logan,  William  Joimston, 

John  Falconer,  George  A  Cooper,      Ephraim  V  Dailey, 

Moses  Hyde,  Joel  N  Blake,  Geo  P  Woodward, 

Alexander  Hamil,  Robert  Francis,  John  Gridley, 

James  Whitniarsh,  W^ni  W^jiitmaish,        James  Harris, 
Caleb  Owen, 


B  A  Vickers, 
Alex  M  Rogers, 
Joshua  Harve}', 
George  U  Uhler, 
JNIoses  A  Slarbuck, 
William  Davison, 
Jonathan  Cieeiy, 


Nich's  R  Kennedy,    James  Henry, 
William  Dunlap,        Frifncis  Davidson, 


Robert  Nelson, 
Joini  McCadden, 
George  Myers, 
David  Whitmarsh, 


..Associate  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev  John  G  Smart,  John  Smith,  Robert  Milliken, 

William  Won  is,         Dr  James  Mclntyre,  William  Rogers, 

Christ  Church,  Protestant  Episcopal. 

Rev  H  V  D  Johns,    Capt  Wm  Graham,  Col  Fitzhugh, 

D  D  Richard  M  Hall,  L  ^hlckall,  M  D, 

Hon  James  Carroll,    Samuel  Barnes,  F  Focke, 

Capt  H  Tiiompson,    Chas  Gilman,  Esq,  J  B  Ninde, 

Sam'I  T  Thompson,  Tliomas  Ferguson,  James  Cooper, 
Benj  H  Latrobe,         Samuel  Riggs, 

Church  of  the  Redemption,  Protestant  Episcopal 


Thomas  Anderson, 
William  Caldwell, 


J  H  Luckett, 
W  M  Addison,  Esq, 
Thos  B  Pottinger, 
William  Bose, 
Geo  W  Richardson, 


Rev  Robert  Piargott,  David  Sterrett, 
T  W  Rountree;M  D,  Daniel  Crook, 


Asa  Hart, 
George  Perry, 
James  McKay, 


Rev  H  S  Keppler, 
John  Loury, 
Puch'd  M  J  Anson, 
James  Mowlon, 
John  Henderson, 
Jacob  P  Miller, 
James  Armstrong, 


William  Q  Caldwell,  Charles  S  Willett, 
G  H  Sappii.gton,       James  Paul, 
William  K  Ross,        A  J  Bouldin, 
Josepii  J  Stewart,  •   Aaron  J  Piggott, 


Lewis  H  Foote, 
Rufus  B  Gallup, 
Columbus  Bruscup, 

St.  Andreiu''s  Church,  Protestant  Episcopal. 


Richard  Maygee, 
E  M  Loury, 
Hugh  Bolton, 
Robert  Hancock, 
Henry  Honing, 
James  Allen, 


Peter  Dickinson, 
William  Baker, 
Thomas  J  Hall, 
Joseph  WmIsou, 
James  Monte!!, 
Thomas  Peachy, 


Universalist  Church. 
Rev  James  Siirigley,  Piiilip  Smith,  E  Lukens 


John  C  Holliind, 
William  Bayley, 
William  B  Jones, 
William  Gray, 
l^ot  Ridgely, 
Richard  I\larley, 


Rev.  P.  Willard, 
Rev.  F  RuthrautF, 


Rev.  S.  Sentman, 
Rev.  J.  G.  Wold", 


John  Ross, 
E  L  Ironmonger, 
D  Herring, 
Hugli  Devalin, 
E  A  Cruinmer, 
Frederick  Fickey, 


Richard  Mason, 
Thaddeus  C  Craft, 
John  Wilson, 
C  W  White, 
F  A  Francisco, 
William  Dykes, 


Jacob  P  Hartman, 
Wm  D  Greetham, 
Jolin  C  Reeves, 
Benjamin  Charles, 
John  F  Kerner, 
W  Bool, 


F  A  Fleming, 
diaries  fc;eariey, 
Mr  Hooper, 
Simeon  Alden, 
George  S  Allen, 
Charles  Sisco, 


Carroll  County. 
John  M.  Collins,         Jeremiah  Pvhinehart,  Jacob  Eckard, 


Jacob  Reese, 


John  Rliinehart, 


Rev.  D-ZollickotTer,  J.  N.  Starr, 


Taneylotcn. 
Rev.  J.  Belville,         George  Moring, 
II.  Swope,  P.  Ilunn, 


'J'.  S.  Warfield. 


I^  Clutz, 

A.  McAlistcr. 


80 


Westminster. — Rev.  J.  P.  Carter. 
Westm'mskr  J\Iethodist  Protestant  Church. 
Isaac  Shriver,  Esq.,   Joshua  Siindergill,     Anion  Tipton, 


Jesse  Mannififi 


Jesse  Shriver, 


Samuel  J.  Dell. 


Alonzo  Snow, 
R.  D.  McLenahan, 
E.  T.  Tarring, 
Edwin  Wilnier, 


lyestminster  Circuit,  JMcthodisi  Episcopal  Church. 
Rev.  J.  S.  Mauris,     G.  H.  Waesche,         Joseph  Koons,  Georo-e  Dcrn. 

Rev.  J.  H.  March,     Elias  Grimes,  W.  Zollickoirer,M  D. 

Cecil  County. 
Cecil  Circuit,  Methodist  Protesianl  Church. — Rev.  George  Heritage. 
Elkton  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev.  Jas.  Mclntyre,  F.  Henderson,  Esq.,  George  Jones. 

Kirkwood  and  Port  Deposite  Presbyterian  Churches. 
Samuel  Gay,  Jefferson  Ramsay,      John  Carson. 

J^orth  East. 
Rev.  J.  Humphreys,  Thomas  S.  Tiiomas,  John  Ford. 

Port  Deposite. 
Rev.  Joseph  Mason,  J.  B.  Kniglit,  P.  B.  Buckinfvham,     Allen  Anderson, 

Robert  Stevenson,      Robert  Kerr,'"  William  Pliilips 

Jacob  Guiner,  N.  L.  Brickley, 

Gibbons  Moore,  B.  F.  Alexander, 

George  Y.  Piirnell,    Andrew  Orr, 

Frederick  Coiinty. 
German  lieformed  Church,  Frederick  City. 
Rev.  D.  Zacharius,    John  A.  Steiiier,         Chris.  Steincr, 
David  Kemp,  Abraham  Kemp,         L.  J.  Brenglc, 

Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  Frederick  CUy. 
Rev.  S.  W.  Harkoy,  P.  J.  Havvman,  Henry'  Nixdorff",         J.  M-  Eberts, 

Daniel  Kolb,  I.  C.  O'Neal,  A.  K.  Mant-z,  S.  Mantz. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Fredericlc  City. 
Rev.  G.  Morgan,       Asbiiry  Hunt,  Z.  T.  Windsor,  E.  L.  Dclaschmidt, 

Rev.  Isaac  Collins,  Godfrey  Koontz,  Edward  Buckey,  George  Salmon, 
Dr.  Albert  Ritchie,  James  L.  Norris,  Edward  Howai'd,  Henry  C.  Lane, 
David  Boyd,  F.W.  Brummcrman,  Lorenzo  Windsor,      Thomas  H.  O'Neal. 

James  Whitehill, 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  Frederick  City. — Wm.  B.  Tyler,  Esq.,  V.  M.  Birely. 
Presbyterian  Church,  Frederick  City. — Wm.  F.  Smallwood,  James  L.  Davis. 
Central  Chapel,  Methodist  Protestant  Church. 
Col.  Anthy.  Kimball,  Henry  Nelson,  Benjamin  Nelson,      Ephraim  Collins. 

Natlian  Nelson,  Richard  Cromwell,    William  Jones, 

Emmilsh^ii-g. 
John  Shcetz,  Charles  Smitij, 

John  Musselman,       Isaac  Baugher, 

German  Reformed  Church,  Emmitsburg. 
Rev.  Wm.  Phillips,    Joseph  Maritz,  Eli  Smitii. 


Andrew  Kidd, 
J.  W.  Abrahams, 
Alexander  Brown. 


Joshua  Dill. 


John  Graybill, 
Michael  Slouce, 


John  Nunemaker 


Rev.  G.W.Willard,  M.  Keefer, 

Rev.  H.  Rowan,  J.  Gross, 

Col.  J.  Johnson,  V.   Thomas, 

Dr.  Joshua  Joiie.s,  D.  Thomas, 

Rev.  D.  Thomas,  H.  CulKr,  Jr., 
Rev.  J.  Geir, 


Jefferson. 

R.  Thrasher, 

L.  Botler, 

J.  Ervin, 

H.  Willard, 

G.  W.  Hollhinn, 


A.  Kesler, 

J.  Hook, 

S.   Rnnsbnrg, 

Dr.  T.  McGill, 

Dr   M.  M.  Garry. 


81  , 

Glade  and  Israel  Creek  Churches. 

Rev.  T.  L.  McLean,  Rev.  Mr.  Lambretli,  D.  Devilbiss,  Robert  Nelson, 

Rev. W.  Cauliflower,  William  Rliineliart,  B.  Neidig,  John  Nicodemus, 

Rev.  Mr.  Spedner,     A.  Gelzendainer,       D.  Clary,  D.  Albaugh. 

Methodist  Protestant  Church,  Liberty. 
Rev.  J.  W.  Porter,     Rev.  Dr.  Thos.  Simm,    Philip  Hines,         Thomas  Warfield. 

J^ew  Market. 

Rev.  R.  S.  Vinton,    Caleb  Hobbs,  Jesse  Wright,  Hamilton  Stier. 

Rev.  Wm.  CoUier,     Jacob  Cronise,  Dr.  J.  M.  Guier, 

Bethel  Presbyterian  Church,  Hartford  County. — Rev.  A.  B.  Cross. 

Cheslerlown,  Kent  County. 

Methodist  Protestant  Church.— Rev.  W.  H.  Bordley. 

Brookville,  Montgomery  County. 

Rev.  T.  McCormick,  Caleb  B.  Moore,         B.  W.  Waters,  Richard  Holmes, 

Allen  B.  Davis,  Roger  B.  Thomas,     John  Griffith,  William  Brown. 

Rockville. — Oiho  Magruder. 
Kent  Island,  Queen  Jnn's  County. 
Rev.  Eliphalet  Reed,  S.  Ring-gold,  Esq.,     John  C.  Legg,-  Thomas  H.  Kemp. 

jrashinglon  County. 
German  Reformed  Church,  Bmnsboro'.—Jiev.  Albert  G.  Dole,  Elias  Dairs. 
Evangelical  Lullieran  C/turc/t.^Samuel  Bentz. 
•    Hagerslown. 
Rev.  F.  W.Conrad,  Rev.  Mr.  Keeferj       D.  C.  Hammond,       John  Hanseberger. 
Rev.  W.  Hirst,         .  E.  Wise, 

Willianisport. 

Methodist  Protestant  Church. — Rev.  J.  T.  Ward. 

Presbyterian  Church. 

Rev.  J.  O.  Proctor,    J.  Irwin  Sterrelt,    .    S.  S.  Cunningham. 

Lutheran  Church.— Tlev.  C.  Startzman. 

Methodist  Eiilscopal  Church. — William  Cosby. 

The  Community. — William  Stickel. 

JVorcester  County, 
Sandy  Hill. — Rev.  Mr.  Hamline. 

DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA. 

ll^ashington  City. 

Christ  Church,  Proteslanl  Episcopal.-^Gen.  Archibald  Henderson. 

Foundry  Station,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— Rey .  C.  A.  Davis.jRev.  E.  D.  Owen. 

First  Methodist  Protestant  Church. — Rev.  John  J.  Murray,  Rev.  John  B.  Ferguson. 

J^inth  ^!rr(t  Methodist  Protestant  Church. 

Rev.  Ulysses  Ward,  Col.  Wia.  r>oLighty,  J.  A.  Kenneday,        Willard  Drake. 

jF.  Sinet  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev.  J.  Laurie,  DD.  Rev.  R.  H.  Gnrley,  Hon.  C.  B.  Penrose,  George  Lowry, 
Rev.  S,  Tustin,  Hon.  C.  A.  WicklitTe,  David  Munro,  Charles  L.  Coltman. 

Second  Street  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev.  James  Knox,    Hon.  J.  Q.  Adams,    George  M.  Phillips,  Z.  D.  Gilman. 

Fourth  Street  Presbytei'ian  Church. 
Rev.  Jag.  C.  Smith,  John  Voorhies,  George  Stettinius,    M.  H.  Miller, 

Jacob  Gideon,  Joseph  T   W  dker,     Sylvanus  Holmes,      J.  F.  Shanetts. 

6 


83 

Georgetown. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Rev.  T.  B.  Sargent,  Rev.    Dr.    Wickes,   Wm.  B.  Woodward,  Robert  White, 
Rev.  Sam'l  Clarke,    Tliomas  Brown,         John  Dickson,  Samuel  McKennev. 

Rev.  S.  A.  Roszell, 

Bridge  Street  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev.  R.  T.  Berry,     Wm.  L.  Compton,    Othro  Z.  Muncaster. 

Jllcxandria. 
Rev.  J.N.  Danforth,  WiHiam  Ramsay,       Wilham  Gregory,      A.  J.  Fleming, 
Rev.  E.  Kingsford,    A.  C.  Cazenove,         Thomas  Davy,  William  P.  IS'utt, 

Rev.  Wm.  Evans,      Robert  Bell,  John  Withers,  James  McKenzie. 

R.  Jamison,  Thomas  Powell, 

VIRGINIA. 

Jiccomac  County. — William  Law,  George  Warner. 

Albemarle  County. 

Free  Union  Church,  Disciples  of  Christ. — Allan  B.  Magruder,  E^q. 

Charlestown. — W.  B.  Dutton. 

Harrisonburg. — Rev.  T.  L.  Hamner. 

Tankerville,  Loudon  County. —  George  Beamer. 

Lutheran  Church,  Lovettsville,  Loudon  County. — Chas.  B.  Hamilton,  Esq.,  S.  Craven. 

Presbyterian  Church,  JMai'tinsburg. — Rev.  John  Coggs. 

Mrthampton  County. — Dr.  Wm.  G.  Smith. 

Methodist  Protestant  Church,  Heathsville,  J^orthumierland  County. 

Rev.  B.  Burgess,        Rev.  B.  G.  Burgess,  Capt.  W.  Harding. 

Shepherdstotcn. — Rev.  C.  W.  Andrews,  Rev.  P.  Fletcher. 

Richmond. — Rev.  J.  C.  Stiles. 

Wheeling. — Judge  Joseph  J.  Fry. 

Winchester. 

Rev.  W.  Hill,  D.  D.,  Rev.  J.  Few  Smith,  William  L.  Bent,       William  .Miilf^r. 

Rev.  A.  H.  H.  Boyd,  William  B.  Baker,     James  S.  Carson,       Oliver  M.  Brown. 

OHIO. 

Green  County  Sabbath  Association. — William  Mills. 

Franklin  Co^mly. — John  J.  Hoge. 

Athens. — E.  Stimson. 

ILLINOIS. 
First  Presbyterian  Church,  Galena. — Daniel  Campbell,  Esq. 


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